“The Mystery of the Thirteenth Guest” (1943)

The Mystery of the Thirteenth Guest

Brief Description:

Thirteen years after a dinner party in which the thirteenth guest failed to arrive, the remaining guests are being murdered one by one, and their bodies being placed at the same dinner table in the appropriate seats they occupied thirteen years prior.

(from Archive)

Date: 1943

Genre: American crime/mystery comedy thriller

Running time: 1 hour 1 minute

Cast: 

Helen Parrish (Marie Morgan)

Dick Purcell (Johnny Smith)

Tim Ryan (Lt. Burke)

Frank Faylen (Speed DuGan aka McGinis)

Jacqueline Dalya (Marjory Morgan)

Paul McVey (Adam Morgan)

John Duncan (Harold Morgan)

John Dawson (Tom Jackson)

Cyril Ring (John Barksdale)

Addison Richards (D.A.)

Lloyd Ingraham (Grandfather Morgan)

Robert J. Anderson (young Harold)

Shirley Jean Anderson (young Marie)

Mike Donovan (Desk Sergeant)

Lester Dorr (Carter)

Dick Gordon (Uncle John)

Herbert Heyes (Dr. Sherwood)

Donald Kerr (Photographer)

Wilbur Mack (Coroner)

Richard Neill (Uncle Wayne)

Dick Rush (Cop)

Fred Toones (Valet)

Director: William Beaudine

Production company: Monogram Pictures

Based on: The Thirteenth Guest by Armitage Trail

Wikipedia page

Watch on Archive

(watched on Tubi)

Setting/Aesthetic/Feel: 5/5

I watched this years ago and remembered really liking it, so when I watched it again I allowed my little sisters to watch over my shoulder. 😉 The setting is creepy and dusty and reminds me of Great Expectations, which is fun. 

Characters: 4/5

The only really likeable characters in this whole thing are Marie, Johnny, and Harold, who's an adorable little brother. Burke, though the typical 1930s/1940s American cop in his loudness and rudeness, isn't over the top (especially in comparison to Bill Street) and I enjoyed his banter with Johnny, as well as Speed's comedic relief. Everyone else is pretty nasty, as Grandfather Morgan stated... 

Plot: 4.5/5

Honestly I feel like this should be creepy, but it's got too much comedy to be very creepy. Mostly it's just baffling. I enjoy the whole hidden room aspect, and the murder system itself is very interesting. 

Romance: 4/5

Tiny but cute thread of romance between Johnny & Marie. 

Content: 4/5 (low)

1 kiss. 

Violence: 4/5 (low)

A masked killer; attempted strangling; people die onscreen (very staged).  

Overall: 4.5/5

Overall, I'm still a fan. It's fun! Apparently there's a 1930s version, so I want to watch that too at some point.