Evengyny Thanks for the memories!

Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Suman Roberson It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

Arianna Moses Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

kevin olzak 1935's "Mystery of Edwin Drood" was Universal's followup to their equally lavish Dickens adaptation "Great Expectations," on par with later efforts such as "Tower of London" and "The House of the Seven Gables." The unfinished 1870 story certainly begged for a proper solution, baffling bibliophiles over the decades, but this film's weakest flaw is that its depiction is fatally predictable. We are shown right away the drug-addled choirmaster John Jasper (Claude Rains), whose frequent illnesses are a mask for his addiction to opium (a welcome touch seemingly missed by the Hays code). Jasper's secret desire for his lovely young ward Rosa Bud (Heather Angel) is clearly no surprise to her, his piercing gaze sending her into paroxysms of fear, and since she has been betrothed since childhood to Jasper's beloved nephew Edwin Drood (David Manners), evil thoughts begin to grow in the older man's mind. Enter Neville Landless (Douglass Montgomery) and his beautiful sister Helena (Valerie Hobson), recent arrivals from Ceylon, allowing Jasper to foment an acrimonious rivalry over Rosa between the hot tempered Neville (who has quickly fallen for her) and her intended groom. There are precious few surprises in the script as written, so it's up to the excellent cast to carry the day. With so many Dickensian characters surrounding him, Claude Rains actually winds up in a subordinate role, while Douglass Montgomery, typecast in romantic parts, relishes the opportunity for some real scenery chewing in disguise. Heather Angel had one future genre title ahead, 1942's "The Undying Monster," while 17 year old Valerie Hobson was apparently Universal's busiest starlet of 1935, immediately rejoining director Stuart Walker on "WereWolf of London" (along with Zeffie Tilbury, Ethel Griffies, Vera Buckland, and J. M. Kerrigan). David Manners bid farewell to Universal here, completing just five more low budget features before quitting Hollywood by 1937. Look fast for unbilled bits from Will Geer, lighting lamps 44 minutes in, and Walter Brennan, gossiping about Neville Landless at the 30 minute mark. Despite its inclusion in Universal's popular SHOCK! television package of the late 50s, "Mystery of Edwin Drood" never once made the rounds on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater, a fate that also befell 1935's "The Great Impersonation," 1938's "The Last Warning," 1939's "The Witness Vanishes," and 1942's "Mystery of Marie Roget."

xerses13 Universal in 1935 took on 'The Mystery Of Edwin Drood' a uncompleted Dickens novel. This is the first sound version, after two (2) silent adaptations and made in their 'Classic Horror' style. The film featured their current stock company, including David Manners and Valerie Hobson and the powerful presence of free lancer Claude Rains. These are all professionals and deliver what is expected of them.As in the other 'Classic Horror' adaptations of the time this film has a certain look. Every studio had a 'look' for their efforts. Grimy streets for Warner Brothers gangster films, pristine palaces and with C. B. DeMille, washrooms at Paramount. M.G.M. all gloss and polish in almost every production and R.K.O. art-deco grace. With Universal, decrepit buildings, cobwebs, drawing rooms with lots of stuff to knock over with crisp cinematography.For details of the plot either watch the film or read one of the other reviewers, they give a blow by blow description and plenty of detail, more is not needed here. What can be said it is too bad that for some reason Universal keeps these films buried in their vaults along with some 600 films from Paramounts classic period. Shown today on TCM (12/05/2011) this is the first time I can recall seeing it since the early 1960s! It does not disappoint, the print being in excellent condition. Hopefully more of these efforts will be released for viewing on TCM and possibly DVD.

ackstasis Above all else, it was the promise of a hilariously young Claude Rains that prompted me to watch 'Mystery of Edwin Drood (1935),' a Universal adaptation of Charles Dickens' final, unfinished novel. Rains had, of course, appeared in Whales' 'The Invisible Man (1933)' a few years earlier, but, curiously, it was difficult to get a good look at him in that film, so this was my main opportunity to catch the excellent supporting actor before he was forever condemned to playing grey-haired characters. His role here as John Jasper is completely unforgettable, a riveting portrait of inner torment that communicates so much through every bodily twitch and strained facial expression. Just watch Rains as his character watches the beautiful Rosa through hungry, agonised eyes – the pure anguish rippling through Jasper's body is almost painful to behold, the image of a polluted mind and soul reaching the end of its tether. It's moments like this that made Rains one of the finest actors of Hollywood's golden age."The Mystery of Edwin Drood" is itself one of literature's greatest mysteries. Left unfinished in 1870 after Dickens' death, the story reaches no conclusion, leaving scholars to ponder endlessly about how the author intended to wrap up the novel's events. The murderer of Edwin Drood (if, indeed, he was ever murdered) will thus never been known for sure. Stuart Walker's adaptation attempts to fill in these gaps as best as it can, and this is accomplished quite well, indeed. Despite the high potential for failure, the story does feel as though it's flowing towards its logical conclusion, and John Jasper's guilt ultimately seems the only practical option. Also a product of the screenwriters' imaginations was the identity of Dick Datchery, a wheezing old stranger who arrives in town for a month or two – in the film, he is the incognito Neville Landless, determined to solve the mystery of Drood's disappearance, though Dickens' story reaches no such conclusions. Though we can never know the author's true intentions, these respectful suppositions are probably the best we're ever going to get.Claude Rains is clearly the film's standout performer, giving a edgy and tortured performance as the tormented soul who (in this version) enacts his frustrations through strangulation. David Manners, no stranger to Universal horror regulars, is quite good as the titular murder victim, though his character isn't all that interesting next to his deranged uncle. Douglass Montgomery, with distinctive chiselled facial features, plays the romantic lead with sufficient conviction, and his interpretation of Datchery is enjoyable, as well. I didn't recognise Heather Angel by sight, but she's appeared in several films with which I'm quite familiar – Ford's 'The Informer (1935)' and Hitchcock's 'Lifeboat (1944).' Her performance as Rosa Bud (yeah, I laughed, too) in 'Mystery of Edwin Drood' is perfectly serviceable, given that it demands nothing except that she look beautiful – and she does. For fans of Charles Dickens, fans of Claude Rains, or fans of good old-fashioned storytelling, this little-seen mystery drama is very much worth the effort it takes to track down.

lora64 Excellent - just excellent! Finally I got to view this movie and am glad I acquired the tape. I need not explain all the details of the story since others have done such a good job of it already.Am a great fan of Claude Rains so it was interesting to see him here as a younger man and a very good actor at that.I was really surprised about Douglass Montgomery who plays the role of young Neville Landless faultlessly, and then to see him also reappear in a secondary role halfway through the film as an elderly stranger, Dick Datcherly, who comes into town and rents a room. What struck me most about Datcherly's appearance was his mannerisms and way of speaking, the nose, the long beard - I immediately recognized a striking resemblance to Fagin, played by Alec Guinness, in "Oliver Twist" (1946), as it was identical right down to the rasping voice. I'm sure Alec G. need only have taken one look at this characterization of Datcherly and he'd have found his clue to Fagin's appearance, they are so much the same! The story moves along very well, kept my interest, no dull moments, in my opinion. I was captivated by such a fine integrated performance from all the actors. It's my kind of movie!