The Phantom of 42nd Street (1945)

Uninspired, 7 July 2015

Tony Woolrish (Dave O'Brien) is a theater critic thrust into the role of crime reporter. At first he resists, but as the bodies pile up, he realizes the theater is the common thread behind a series of murders. With the help of his trusted cab-driving friend Romeo (Frank Jenks), he sets out to unmask a killer.

Recently, I've watched a good number of low-budget mysteries from the 30s and 40s. The Phantom of 42nd Street is easily (and it's not even close) the worst of the bunch. While there are a few elements of the plot that appealed to me, the movie has way too many problems. The direction is terribly uninspired, leading to an overall dull movie. The sets have that cheap look I associate with the worst of the Poverty Row films. Lighting is non-existent. The acting is hit or miss at best. O'Brien is actually pretty good in the lead role. But at the other end of the acting spectrum, Edythe Elliott gives one of the worst performances I've seen lately. Her delivery is just so stilted and unnatural. Finally, I have an issue with the movie's finale. Agreeing with another comment on IMDb, I've gone back and watched the ending twice and I still can't tell you whodunit. It's a very poor ending to a very unappealing movie. A 3/10 from me.

3/10