Castle Sinister (1948)
IMDb meta-data is runtime the longest 49 minutes ever recorded, rated an astounding 3.6 by 137 monkeys at keyboards.
Genre: Old Dark House.
Verdict: Fail.
In a remote, suitably gloomy Scots castle our cast gathers to read the script with growing disbelief. Because most of the chaps are in uniform it must be wartime, but you’d hardly know from the dialogue.
Soon enough the number of guests at Castle Gloom decreases and the simple working class retainers blame the Phantom, which is never explained, but we do see someone lurking about in a robe and cowl with a skeleton mask waiting for Halloween.
Danger Man is unavailable so this is a case for oxymoronic Army Intelligence. There is a confused and confusing love interest, an immature boy-soldier, a dour laird, an aloof and icy ladyship, and all those uniforms. With a touch of realism the AI investigator spends all his time in the local pub.
Turns out one of the uniforms is a Nasty Spy who is – sit down and take a deep breath – the father of the youngest son. Wait, father! How did that happen? [In the usual way.] And the son has in his possession secret plans for deep-fried Mars bars! The Scots’ secret weapon!
It gets worse. Much of the dialogue is spoken by the actors with their backs to the camera. This is a technique that makes expensive synchronisation between audio and video unnecessary. When it is not used, it is apparent that the dialogue is indeed out of synchronisation.
Released on 19 February 1948 with a thud, even as a quota quickie this must have been shelved. None of the players is noted for anything else on the IMDb. Most of them have but a few credits and for several this is the only one. Good career move. Quit.
About half the run time is distance shots of the exterior of the heap and some murky interiors. Dashed were my hopes for an Old Dark House with secret passages, cobwebs, sliding panels, spring loaded walls, and spy holes.
Not to be mistaken for the lost 1932 film of the same title, though losing this one would be a service.