The BBC is preparing for a live murder mystery production. The cast has been assembled for a final rehearsal before the show. Cast member Sydney Parsons (Donald Wolfit) is the intended victim. He is in a studio room alone. The orchestra is in a different room. The remaining cast members are in a third studio room. In the director’s booth is director Julian Caird (Val Gielgud). In an observation booth are the playwright, Rodney Fleming (Henry Kendall), and Herbert Evans (Jack Hawkins). Evans is in charge of program research. Among the actors are Leopold Dryden (Austin Trevor) and his wife Joan (Mary Newland). Egos run rampant and everyone is criticizing everyone else.
After a meal break everyone returns to the studio in time for the broadcast. During the play Parsons is supposed to be strangled. While saying his lines someone comes up behind him and actually strangles him on air. Everyone performing for the broadcast and in the control room believes it is Parsons acting. Parson’s body is not found until sometime after the show has completed. The police are telephoned and Detective Inspector Gregory (Ian Hunter) is called to the scene.
Inspector Gregory questions everyone and determines that several people do not have alibis for the time of death. Leopold Dryden wasn’t feeling well and stepped out to get some air. Director Caird was chasing down a cue light that wasn’t working properly. Fleming, the writer, was in a side room supposedly on the phone with his brother. Evans was in his office. Higgins (Ivor Barnard) is a studio page who was supposed to be outside of Parson’s studio room. He stepped away to talk to a woman he had been having an affair with. Also roaming the building is Guy Bannister (Peter Haddon). Bannister is a visitor. He got lost in the building looking for a variety show that was being broadcast on another floor of the Broadcast House. Gregory’s investigation turns up some nasty blackmail and a secret that has been hidden for years.
“Death at Broadcasting House” AKA “Death at a Broadcast” was released in 1934 and was directed by Reginald Denham. It is a British murder mystery and was based on a novel by Val Gielgud and Holt Marvell. Val Gielgud was the brother of actor Sir John Gielgud and was also the head of productions at the BBC’s broadcasting center.
Some of the scenes were actually filmed at the BBC’s new broadcasting center “Broadcasting House”. The film is noted for being a behind the scenes look at the early days of Broadcasting including a reference to a Blattnerphone. A Blattnerphone is a sound recording device. It was one of the first sound recording machines which were actually installed at Broadcasting House in 1932.
No one can do insufferable snob like a British actor. And this movie is full of them. Leopold Dryden was the biggest snotface in the film. The rest weren’t too far behind. Right from the beginning you sorta hope they all die. Even the comic relief called Guy Bannister is annoying. Add to that, the reason for the blackmail is a little thin so the movie is not the best example of British mystery. It’s also not the worst.
The movie boasts some actual singers in the “Variety” portion of the film, in particular Elisabeth Welch and Eve Becke.