Silas Wayne (William V. Mong) is a rich and crabby old man. He has called his heirs together to read to them his will. While everyone is cooling their heels in the living room Silas is reviewing some items in his safe. One item is the Candor diamond. Examining the diamond Silas realizes it is a fake. He calls his secretary and nephew Claude Wayne (Eddie Phillips) into the library.
Realizing he’s been caught Claude switches the fake diamond for the real diamond that he took out of the safe earlier. When Silas realizes the diamond is real he apologizes and instructs Claude to put it back in the safe. Claude does another quick change and the fake diamond goes back in the safe while the real one goes back in his pocket. After Claude leaves Silas checks the safe and finds the fake diamond again. Silas calls the police.
On call are Police Sergeant Kelly (Eddy Chandler) and Police officer Ryan (Harry Myers). Silas calls his heirs into the library. He positions the police officers on either side of the library doors as he begins to sign his will in front of his heirs. Suddenly he falls forward. Everyone rushes over to him. His doctor, Dr. Bailey (Jason Robards Sr.), says that Silas has had problems with his heart before. Silas is pulled upright. A knife is stuck in his chest. In a room full of people Silas Wayne was stabbed to death and no one saw a thing. Not even the cops at the door.
Detective Sergeant Mitchell (Regis Toomey) is called in. Reporter Nosey Toodles (June Clyde) sneaks into the house posing as the dead man’s widow. As much a pest as a helper Nosey does her best to assist Mitchell in solving the crime. To judge the reactions of the suspects Mitchell reads the various bequeaths spelled out in the will.
Sarah Boulter (Isabel Vecki) would get one hundred thousand at the birth of her first child. Sarah’s husband is Stephen Boulter (Alan Roscoe). They are a childless couple and things are not looking good in the baby making area. To his housekeeper Miss Sheen (Lucille La Verne) and her children he bequeaths the Candor diamond and any curse that may be attached to it. Gloria Dryden (Nadine Dore) would get the remainder of the estate provided she does not marry Robert Wayne (Dwight Frye). Robert Wayne would get one dollar. Silas leaves a note stating the Claude has been defrauding him for years. Included with the note is evidence of the fraud.
Toss in a shrouded villain sneaking around the mansion killing people and the mystery deepens. The only thing missing in this old dark house mystery is the thunderstorm.
“The Wayne Murder Case” AKA “A Strange Adventure” was released in 1932 and was directed by Phil Whitman. It is a rather creaky murder mystery. It is a pre-code poverty row film that is in a little rough shape. The sound may not be all that clear and the picture quality shows its age.
What makes the film pre-code is basically Miss Sheen having a child out of wedlock and the sexual innuendos between Nosey and Mitchell.
The premise is your standard murder mystery where all the heirs have ulterior motives to kill the nasty rich guy. It’s the bread and butter of low budget poverty row filmmakers. Of course in 1932 it was new and fresh. The added touch is the hooded villain creeping around the house trying to kill people. Comic relief is in the form of the stereotypical black man servant named Jeff (Fred Toones) and the two Irish cops. The most interesting character is Nosey the reporter. She’s bubbly and quick witted. It is an average mystery, entertaining for the most part and only an hour long so it doesn’t chew up a lot of your time.