The Hidden Hand (1942)

This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

A really first-class mystery thriller! Although the plot seems to be fairly straightforward and even familiar, the screenwriters manage some really thrilling and clever variations and even a few surprises. Despite the large cast of characters, they are all essential to the telling and working out of a really first-class plot that is built upon what seems at first to be an engaging but familiar idea, but actually has a few very novel and unexpected twists. The lead character provides Cecil Cunningham with one of her best roles in the cinema. Gale Sondergaard played this role on the stage Although billed way down in the cast list, Cecil Cunningham is actually the female lead. She had already played the role as the star as the 1934 stage presentation. However, the male lead in the movie is an even greater surprise, and even further down the official cast list, namely Milton Parsons, who here enjoys by far the meatiest and the largest role of his entire Hollywood career of more than 170 movies and TV shows. Willie Best is billed fourth and normally I would object to this stereotype, but West's timing is so perfect and he is so genuinely funny that he overcomes all my objections. The three top-billed stars, Stevens, Fraser and Bishop actually have only minor roles. Humphrey Bogart played an Horatio Chaning on the stage – but not here, alas!. The movie moves fast and is most capably directed by Ben Stoloff. Production values are first class., including noirishly glossy photography by Henry Sharp and ingenious sets by Stanley Fleischer. The movie is particularly well paced. Not a single minute is wasted. In fact the only thing that shouts "B" about the movie is its short running time of only 63 minutes. But they are 63 thrillingly heady, edge-of-the-seat minutes. Available on an excellent Warner Archive DVD.

Hidden Hand, The (1942) ** (out of 4) Yet another "old dark house" mystery but this one here lets you know who the killers are and lets you in on their secret plan. A rich old woman helps her crazy brother escape from an insane asylum so that he can pretend to be her butler while she invites over various members of her family who are just waiting for her to die so that they can get her money. The old lady fakes her death with the help of her doctor so that she can see how the family members will act once she's gone and then more bodies start to pile up. The plot to THE HIDDEN HAND is at least something fresh but sadly the direction is so lacking that you can't help but feel the movie is twice as long as its 63-minute running time. I really enjoy watching "B" movies but this one here really took me by surprise because it seemed the screenwriter at least wanted to try something different and separate this from other entries in the genre but sadly the director simply didn't have any idea how to inject any life into the picture. There are countless scenes that just drag along including one very boring one where the family members just whisper to one another how they wish the old woman would just drop dead. Of course, none of them ever stop to think that someone listening might not be too thrilled with what they're saying. Another problem is that none of the characters are all that likable including the good girl (Elisabeth Fraser) who we know is going to get the money. Fraser is pretty good in her role even though the screenplay doesn't require too much. The same is true for Julie Bishop and Craig Stevens in their roles. The film stealer is without question Milton Parsons who plays the psychotic brother. His performance is so wacky and over-the-top that you can't help but have fun with his character. The way he's unshaven, hair as wild as can be and the way he stalks around the house is just downright fun and you can't help but wish the character had a stronger movie around him. We even get Willie Best doing his typical "scared servant" bit. THE HIDDEN HAND is one of a countless number of films that tried to fool viewers with various twists and turns. There really isn't anything ground-breaking here but the weak direction really keeps it from being better.

This is no "Halloween", but I really enjoyed this movie..not for the scares, but for the laughs. It was a great way to pass a couple of hours on a lazy Sunday afternoon in the middle of winter. Willie Best was really entertaining. The other characters did just enough and although it was very campy by today's standards, I can't fault any of them. At the end when the policemen all left the house satisfied that they had solved the crime (but left all the bodies in the hidden basement well), I laughed right out loud. I found this movie on the Turner Classic movie channel, where I watch most of the black and white movies I enjoy. If you just look at it as pure entertainment, you'd be sure to enjoy it.

Milton Parsons was a great character actor of the 1940's, and appeared in many films, especially the Charlie Chan series.This film is probably his BIGGEST role; altho, for some odd reason he is billed 8th (He's one of the top 3 characters).He plays an escaped maniac from a mental institution, who helps his not-so-sane-either sister kill off the greedy members of their family, who want the "hidden treasure".An excellent film, with many plot twists, secret panels, and great scared-reaction comedy by Willie Best.