A not bad low budget stab at a "Thin Man" type thriller. Preston Foster is a private detective who gets mixed up with a somewhat ditzy Ann Rutherford. It seems she thinks her uncle was murdered. The reason for the murder is that he was one of 6 men in a tontine. Ten years before all six had put 10,000 dollars into an investment fund with the last survivor to get all the cash. Foster want's nothing to do with Rutherford since he is getting married the next morning. Of course Rutherford takes all of ten minutes to have Foster in trouble up to his neck with his bride to be. Soon the other men in the tontine start dropping dead with one problem for Foster and Rutherford. The police are hot on their trail since they are always the last to see the victim alive. Richard Lane does a nice comic turn here as the one step behind police detective. This was to be the first of a series for the two actors that was never picked up. At just over an hour it is an entertaining b-film that does not outstay it's welcome. Decent time-water. (b/w)
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gordonl564 March 2008
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JohnHowardReid28 March 2018Director: BENJAMIN STOLOFF. Screenplay: W. Scott Darling. Story: John Larkin. Photography: Joseph LaShelle. Music composed by Arthur Lange, directed by Emil Newman. Art directors: James Basevi and Russell Spencer. Set decorations: Thomas Little and Al Orenbach. Film editor: Norman Colbert. Special effects: Fred Sersen. Costumes: Yvonne Wood. Make-up: Jack Pierce. Assistant director: Tom Dudley. Sound recording: George Leverett and Harry M. Leonard. Producer: William Girard.
Copyright 4 May 1944 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Rialto: 12 May 1944. U.S. release: 4 May 1944. Australian release: 11 January 1945. 6,012 feet. 66 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Private detective and slap-happy girl investigate the murder of the girl's uncle.
COMMENT: Smartly-directed, well-produced mystery, with an interesting script, solid production values and a good cast, all of which belie the movie's "B" status. Butterworth is excellent as usual, but this time he has a rare dramatic role. LaShelle's photography rates as nothing short of outstanding. -
gridoon202428 August 2013OK, the title "Bermuda Mystery" is highly misleading, since only two opening scenes are set in that location, and about 95% of the movie takes place in New York! But it is still an enjoyable mystery-comedy, mostly thanks to the wonderfully expressive (not to mention gorgeous) Ann Rutherford, and a sufficiently puzzling story that rarely stops moving forward. There is a long list of suspects for the serial killings, a list that includes Rutherford herself! The killer is well-cast, and does not pop out of nowhere like it happens in some mysteries. This is not the kind of movie that will set the world on fire, however if you like the genre it belongs to you'll probably like it as well. **1/2 out of 4.
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utgard1429 December 2018A group of men who served together in World War I decide to put $10,000 each into a fund that the last surviving member of the group will collect. Not surprising to anyone with a brain, members of the group start dying off. The niece (Ann Rutherford) of the first victim seeks help from a private detective (Preston Foster) to prove her uncle was murdered. Before long she's more interested in landing Foster as her new beau than she is in solving the mystery.
This is pretty weak. Preston Foster carries the movie more than his leading lady or supporting cast. Ann Rutherford had a lot of charms but this movie never really taps into any of them. In her best scenes she's just kind of there, bland and interchangeable with any of a dozen other B movie actresses of the time. In her worst scenes she's annoying and shrill. By the way, this was her only film released in 1944. It's one of only two Foster did that year. I found that interesting. The best of the supporting players is Jason Robards Sr. Richard Lane basically just plays a cop not too far removed from his most famous role as Inspector Farraday in the Boston Blackie series.
I was surprised to see this was made by 20th Century Fox. It looks kind of cheap with shabby sets and clothes. It looks more like it was made at a Poverty Row studio. None of the comedy works and the mystery story has no edge to it. There's also no chemistry between the stars. Foster was old enough to be Rutherford's father and looks it.