Unexpected Guest (1947) User Reviews (10)

"Don't worry, there's nothin' to be afraid of. I don't think."

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 28 October 2018]

Of the nearly three dozen Hopalong Cassidy films I've seen, this is the closest that comes to a ghost story Western. But it's in name only, as right up front there's very little prospect of a ghost showing up, even if housekeeper Matilda Hackett (Una O'Connor) insists on hearing voices and believing in ghosts herself. What we have looks more like a picture about that 1930's pulp creation known as The Shadow, with a mysterious man in black slinking around, arranging to kill the heirs to a family fortune, with California Carlson (Andy Clyde) one of the family members.

But wait a minute! When it's revealed at the end of the story that Hiram Baxter is still alive, you have to ask yourself, why was he killing off his heirs? He wasn't even dead yet! But even beyond that, having seen Baxter's elaborate headstone in the cemetery, how is it that none of said family members ever went to the funeral or the graveside service? Does that make any sense? The answer of course is that a lot of these B Westerns of the Thirties and Forties made no sense at all, but they could be entertaining for the juvenile set who came to the theater in droves to watch this stuff. Especially with a hero like Hopalong Cassidy and a comical sidekick like Andy Clyde.

For anyone expecting a ghost to show up, the story does offer some neat, old dark house atmospherics, along with a secret door that leads to an underground passage and spooky cavern. Lucky Jenkins (Rand Brooks) seems to get framed for a murder at one point, and reacts strongly out of character by pulling a gun on Lawyer Potter (John Parrish) and his own pals, but that's only a temporary predicament. As for Matilda, she did hear voices, but they were human ones coming from her old boss Baxter. It wasn't disguised, so you had to wonder why she didn't recognize it!

Hoppy meets the Old Dark Ranch House

[girvsjoint · 8/10 · 14 September 2020]

With an eventual total of 56 Hopalong Cassidy features, it was only normal to expect that now and again they'd try something a little different to the norm, sometimes it worked, others not so. To me this one was OK a bit of a mystery with elements of 'Then There Were None', all on the pretext of California showing up for a will reading of his late Uncle's estate, naturally his pals Hoppy & Lucky come along to keep him out of trouble. Not a lot of gun fighting involved it's true, but a couple of decent punch ups with Hoppy and the bad guy toward the end. The buckskin jacket didn't really suit William Boyd who usually looks good in most things, but Hoppy was always at his best in black! But as I say, at least they tried for a bit of variety, and I accept that!

Atmospheric old ranch mystery

[coltras35 · 7/10 · 2 February 2022]

At the reading of his late cousin's will, California learns the estate will be divided among whoever remains of the seven relatives. With one already dead, another immediately murdered, and the Lawyer telling them the ranch is almost worthless, Hoppy investigates.

Masked Killer in a cloak, secret passages, people getting bumped off, eyes moving in a moose, and strange maid talking about hearing voices - all these make you think you're watching a dark house mystery than a Hopalong Cassidy Western. It's a mix of two genres, and it works really well, and though it's not action-packed, enough things happen to keep you watching. It's great fun, then again I'm sucker for a dark house mystery, add that to a horse opera and I am happy.

Hoppy in an Old Dark House Movie

[wrbtu · 20 May 2003]

The version I have has the re-release title of "Saddle & Spurs." Hoppy starts out dressed all in black, although later changes to an unflattering Buckskin suit & tie. There's a mysterious figure running about who resembles the 1940s "The Shadow." Very nice music soundtrack (probably borrowed from an earlier non-Hoppy film). Some good comedic lines, such as Hoppy to California: "The brown horse is yours." Earle Hodgins, who usually plays the snake-oil salesman type of character to perfection, is here cast out of character as a scruffy, bearded cowhand. Old Dark House elements abound: the wind blows the lights out in a big old house, at which time one of the beneficiaries of the will being read is killed, lots of people sneaking about at night, there's a secret passageway, there's a mounted buffalo head where someone is sneaking peeks into the next room, a mysterious voice at a gravesite, & so on. There's a long fight scene in the cellar that features fantastic camera angles & a very neat expressionistic set! Misplaced in a western, but great anyway! The heroine, played by Patricia Tate, is one of the prettiest in all the Hoppy films, but strangely, Lucky is not romantically interested in this young lady. A very good mystery western, but Western fans beware, Hoppy doesn't fire his gun at all in this film, despite being shot at twice. I rate it 7/10.

The Carlson Inheritance

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 15 May 2015]

Some of Agatha Christie's mysteries might have been the inspiration for the plot of Unexpected Guest. This Hopalong Cassidy western where Hoppy and Lucky Jenkins travel with California for the reading of a will where Andy Clyde is one of six heirs to a ranch that has more debts than anything else according to lawyer John Parrish.

But Parrish whose whole demeanor screams shyster has been milking the estate with the connivance of one of the heirs. As the heirs start dying like they do in Ten Little Indians it's up to Hoppy to investigate and find out who's the accomplice. Especially with Rand Brooks accused of murdering one of the heirs.

A lot less action in this Hoppy flick than usual. Still it was acceptable to the Saturday matinée kids and a grownup or two.

Not Cassidy at his best!

[JohnHowardReid · 6/10 · 8 February 2018]

United Artists, 28 March 1947. Director: George Archainbaud.

CAST: William Boyd, Andy Clyde, Rand Brooks, Una O'Connor, John Parrish, Earle Hodgins, Robert B. Williams, Patricia Tate, Ned Young, Joel Friedkin. 61 minutes. (Available on an excellent Platinum Disc DVD).

COMMENT: Not so much a western as a comedy-suspense plus old dark house murder mystery (and a mighty unfair one at that), this entry showcases Una O'Connor. (You either think her verbal and visual shenanigans are funny, or you don't. I don't)!

True, the script provides plenty of darkly atmospheric photography as well as an array of super-spooky sound effects. Cop-out conclusion aside, I must admit it's certainly intriguing enough and is well-produced (the sets are mighty impressive), but no way could it be listed as typical Cassidy "B"-western fare.

A Hoppy Whodunnit

[pensman · 9/10 · 4 August 2019]

Kids might not have picked up the tip of the cowboy hat to Agatha Christie but they would have understood the reference to one of Mickey Mouse's enemies, the Phantom Blot. Great film for a Saturday morning showing at the local movie theater for kids. A haunted house, mysterious voices, the murders of various heirs, sliding secret doors, and California Carlson in danger--could it get any better. If you were a typical ten-year old fan of Hoppy then this was pure yummy hamburger. The story moves along quickly and there are a few scares (opportunity to shout out "Watch Out Hoppy!) and just enough laughs to keep a kid's attention focused on the story. Try and remember that this film was made for the eight to twelve year old boy audience of the 40's and 50's and not today's over-sophisticated middle schooler.

And if you don't know The Phantom Blot then you are not the audience for this film.

A murder mystery AND a western rolled up into one!

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 26 September 2020]

While you might not expect it, YouTube has the best copies of most of the old Hopalong Cassidy films. Not only are they complete, but they are the remastered versions from about 2000...and they look great...practically new in fact.

This film is like the merging of two B-movie genres....a western AND a mystery. Both were very popular short films in the 1930s and 40s. So, while everyone is dressed in western duds, the story is a murder mystery at heart.

It all begins with California (Andy Clyde) learning that he's been named in a will. But there are weird conditions....that the cousin's estate will be divided among seven people...provided they are still alive! This sounds ominous....and it is. Soon, there's a body...which disappears!! Just the sort of thing to expect from an old B murder mystery. Unfortunately, who is responsible for this and more is revealed in the IMDB summary...but I'll still keep this to myself.

As a western, the film lacks a bit. The same can be said about the mystery. I especially disliked the whole 'voices talk to me' part of the story...it's pretty dopey. All in all, a bit of a disappiontment.

Lots of Mystery - Good Cowboy Halloween Tail!

[marmel4 · 17 October 2003]

Even though this Hoppy Adventure has a good plot and lots of Mystery it is lacking the action of earlier Hoppy movies. Hoppy only fires his gun in the very first few minutes when a shadowy character tries to "Dry Gulch" them. California Carlson steals this movie with his better than usual antics. All in All I would still recommend this flick to anybody that loves a mystery and Hopalong Cassidy! Did anyone notice that the lawyer and Hoppy also appeared together in "The Greatest Show on Earth" ?

Weak All Around

[Michael_Elliott · 8 October 2009]

Unexpected Guest (1947)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

Tired blend of the Horror and Western genres has William Boyd in his famous Hopalong Cassidy role. He plays one of seven relatives who are invited to a will reading where a fortune is to be divided among them. If someone dies their portion will be divided among the living and sure enough a masked phantom starts killing them off one by one. Before renting this movie I had heard a lot of negative things about it with most of the bad comments coming from fans of Boyd's and this character. Many complained that there are more "old dark house" moments than Western ones, which is certainly true so I'm sure many will be upset that Boyd isn't playing with his gun more. This was my first Hopalong movie so I can't compare this to previous ones but I certainly hope they're better than this. The movie is about as boring as something can get even though it remains mildly entertaining as one of those films that you keep watching and waiting for something to happen and before you know it the thing's over with and nothing has happened at all. Cassidy seems too laid back here and the supporting cast doesn't add much and that includes fan favorite Una O'Connor (BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN) as a red herring. Andy Clyde delivers a few good moments as the sidekick. Fans of the slasher series Friday THE 13TH will certainly remember its score and it's interesting to note that there's a sequence around the twenty-minute mark here where the two scores sound almost the same for a few brief seconds. With that said, I doubt too many people will find much entertainment in this film. It moves along rather well but in the end you'll be scratching your head as to why you just wasted your time.