“What are you doing Wilfred reconstructing the accident?”
A body falls from the penthouse of an apartment building. The body turns out to be that of the owner, millionaire and philanthropist Mr. Harker. (We never find out his first name.) Police Inspector Russell (Purnell Pratt) and his secretary Wilfred (Arthur Hoyt) investigate. Was this an accident or was it murder.
Russell questions Mr. Harker’s secretary Pat Morgan (Ginger Rogers). Russell is unaware that Morgan is really a reporter for “The Morning News” who has been posing as Mr. Harker’s secretary for the last three weeks. She has been trying to find out if Harker is involved with an underworld boss.
Ted Rand (Lyle Talbot) is a reporter for a rival newspaper “The Express”. He manages to con his way into the penthouse apartment looking for a story. He picks up the phone extension the same time Morgan is trying to call her paper. Rand and Morgan are well acquainted. Posing as a re-write from her paper he manages to find out everything she knows about Harker. Rand scoops Morgan by printing everything he learns. Rand is subsequently fired.
Soon after two more murders happen. Rand, feeling bad that he got Morgan fired tries to make is up to her. They join forces and together they investigate looking for clues to find out who the murderer is and why.
“A Shriek in the Night” was released in 1933 and was directed by Albert Ray. The movie has been labeled everything from horror to mystery to romance to crime to thriller to comedy. It’s a little of everything. At least almost. If you’re looking for horror, you won’t find it here. The film was produced by Allied Pictures. Allied is one of the poverty row producers of low budget “B” movies.
Most people’s favorite character was the wacko housekeeper Augusta (Lillian Harmer). Although she is funny, my favorite is police inspector Russell. He never misses a beat. Of course the movie would probably have been a lot more obscure had it not been for Ginger Rogers. “A Shriek in the Night” was released in July. Her first movie with Fred Astaire, “Flying down to Rio”, was released later that year in December 1933.