Stellead
Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful
Sameer Callahan
It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.
Lucia Ayala
It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.
Leofwine_draca
THE DARK HOUR is a pretty involved little murder mystery with a complex plotting, fast pace, and plenty of twists and turns in the narrative to keep you involved. It also features two different detectives, one a young and inexperienced P.I. and the other an elder and wiser chap, for your money.The story is about the murder of an old rich man and of course in such a situation there is no shortage of suspects in the cast. Another murder follows, and one of the methods is quite ingenious as is the way that the detectives finally solve it based on an entirely innocuous clue. Still, there are plenty of surprises here, and some warm performances from the chief actors to make it a likable viewing experience.
Cristi_Ciopron
I liked the plot, more than what the movie was ready to make out of it; there are viewers who liked the cinema approach better. I didn't care much for any of the characters. The storyline is dramatic and intriguing, and the puzzle plot, not _uningenious (as the script was adapted from 'The Last Trap' by Sinclair Gluck), till the final denouement makes it look like a farce, so a very stripped adaptation of a possibly good puzzle plot, yet most of what's interesting is merely told by the two policemen, as much as one could gather from a radio show; the style is neutral, very plain, very basic, unassuming. The policemen's inquiry has an air of casualness; there's no characterization. Unpretentious mystery movie, exempt of comic relief, except for an old policeman climbing an armchair, but it has enough intriguing ideas (the wound that didn't bleed), which make it more interesting as a story, than as a movie; the very idea of a handsome heiress having a relation with an unlikable ugly policeman seemed unlikely. Some of the actors give at least average performances; I disliked the younger policeman. You can call the production, austere or cheap. As a matter of fact, there are some humorous moments, but the main story of detection, till it switches to farce, is stark, logical and dry, and somewhat more thrilling than the movie was ready or able to assume and take over from the book; the twists have unexpectedness, of the literary kind. To me, the farcical denouement was somewhat disappointing.The footage doesn't add much to what's merely spoken by the two policemen.The dialog, casual, was more or less comprehensible.As I gather it now, not a treat or a jewel or a discovery, and in many respects mediocre. (But like each time as many people are involved in a common action, there are also a few good things.) Dry, clever, but a bit graceless.
csteidler
"But I didn't do it." "What! Then who the heck did?" The Dark Hour keeps viewers—and detectives—guessing until the final moment. A truly puzzling mystery combined with some juicy performances make this quite a nifty little hour of fun.Berton Churchill as the retired detective—respectfully requested by his younger counterpart Ray Walker to assist on the case—is wonderfully nimble-minded and yet perhaps suspicious. Irene Ware is earnest and intelligent as the niece of rich old uncles in whose house the mystery develops—but she's obviously hiding something. Hedda Hopper bustles in occasionally with energy and smarts as an aunt who seems to know plenty but isn't saying just what.Not a fancy movie, but one that's paced just about right: The action certainly moves along quickly, but care is taken to allow us time to notice which characters are thinking a bit more than they're saying. Irene Ware's character, for example, is given an extra moment of screen time here and there—just enough of an extra glance for us in the audience to see quite clearly that she's holding something back. Again, it's not fancy or subtle—but it does show that director Charles Lamont was paying attention.The dialog is crisp enough; the actors move with energy. Hopper and Churchill, in particular, appear to enjoy themselves immensely in their roles.My only complaint is that the sound is badly chopped up in the version I saw. Lines are dropped and cut into pieces (including in a couple of key moments!). I can only assume that the print from which this came had been shown about a hundred times and broken and been spliced in about that many places. Oh, well—I can live with that. Otherwise: a top-notch B mystery.
kidboots
It is not often that Berton Churchill played leading roles, but this was one of those times. The film is populated with interesting people - Irene Ware, who was Miss United States 1926, Hedda Hopper, the renowned gossip columnist and the wonderful E.E. Clive. It is topped off with a pretty boring leading man in Ray Walker. Directed by Charles Lamont, who was responsible for Shirley Temples' Baby Burlesk shorts, this is a light hearted mystery from Chesterfield.Elsa (Irene Ware) is disturbed about her Uncle Henry and consults Paul Bernard (Berton Churchill). When Jim (Ray Walker) escorts Elsa home, her uncle comes to the door and abuses them both. Phrases such as "over my dead body" and "that can be arranged" come back to haunt the young detective when Elsa's uncle is found dead the next morning. Marion (Hedda Hopper), an aunt of Elsa's has moved to the village to look out for her - Marion also has no love for Henry.Everyone has a motive - the only one that seems genuinely upset is Henry's brother Charles (Hobart Bosworth). The cook sees a face at the window and Foote (E.E. Clive) is acting suspicious - "Foote seems strangely cocky!!!" They also are investigating a firebug - fires are breaking out at some of the brother's properties. Bernard finds a burnt dress in Elsa's cupboard but the size and the description of the woman running from the scene seem to implicate Aunt Marion. Then Foote is murdered!!!! The face at the window is explained as a fire victim - he had just seen his wife and child die in one of the fires and decided to come to Henry's house to have it out with him.Through a tired plot device (blankets under a quilt to imitate a sleeping person) Bernard finds the firebug and also tries to pin the murders on them as well. In a very entertaining way the murderer is found. It is quite an entertaining film and one that will while away an hour.
