Movie Review: The Bat Whispers (1930)
Synopsis: After successfully carrying out a brazen jewel theft, a notorious criminal calling himself The Bat, announces he will retire to the country and moves into a mansion owned by a bank president and leased by Cornelia Van Gorder and her niece, Dale. He then proceeds to threaten the occupants, telling them they should leave. Meanwhile, a nearby bank robbery may be related to the criminal or may have been carried out by a cashier who has arrived at the mansion with Dale, posing as a gardener.
Who's in it? The movie stars Chester Morris, Una Merkel, Grayce Hampton, Gustav von Seyffertitz and William Bakewell.
Review: The movie I intended to watch this morning was unfortunately removed from Amazon Prime and, not wanting to pay for a film when I'm already paying for the streaming service, I was forced to find an alternative. I had never heard of The Bat Whispers before, but it looked somewhat interesting, so I gave it a try.
It featured a whole lot of talk and not a lot of action, but it still managed to be an OK choice.
The mystery surrounding the mansion was the most intriguing part of this film. First, there was the question about why The Bat chose to hide out in there and, later, there was an even bigger question about why so many people, ranging from the accused bank cashier (Bakewell) to the bank president's nephew (Hugh Huntley) are also suddenly interested in staying in the house and looking for secret rooms. It made me wonder if any, if not all, were equally as guilty of some sort of crime.
The mystery man found in the garage (Ben Bard) adds a little something extra as well. Since he doesn't know who he is (or at least claims not to know), it's unclear how he fits in the larger picture and if he'll turn out to be a good guy or bad guy.
While the movie was mostly serious, there as a nice mix of comedy inside it as well, especially from the maid, Lizzie (Maude Eburne) who was humorously over-the-top when frightened. I also appreciated how she unexpectedly played a role in the way the movie ended one what originally appeared to be just a throwaway joke. It was surprisingly clever.
I loved the twist at the end, both with The Bat's identity and other big reveals while also setting up a potential sequel (though, as far as I know, that didn't happen). The fourth wall break to the audience, warning them not to give spoilers, was interesting, even though it also felt a little dated and took away from the illusion. I think it probably clicked better with 1930s theater audiences, so I'll give it a pass.
Final Opinion; It was a good mystery with a solid twist and a mix of comedy to lighten the mood. I enjoyed watching it and would recommend it.
My Grade: A
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Here are some reviews of other movies starring Chester Morris:
Movie Review: The She-Creature (1956)
Movie Review: Tomorrow at Seven (1933)
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