Jimmy Lydon

Warren William

Sally Eilers

Regis Toomey

Charles Arnt

George H. Reed

Jayne Hazard

Jimmy Clark

Mary McLeod

Pierre Watkin

Sonia Sorel

Theresa Harris

Edgar G. Ulmer

Adele Comandini

Fritz Rotter

Leon Fromkess

Leo Erdody

Philip Tannura

Paul Palmentola

Harry Reif

Carl Pierson

Thriller

Mystery

Strange Illusion

United States of America

CinemaSerf

Shortly after his father dies, the bright young “Paul” (Jimmy Lydon) starts to have nightmares that his mother’s new beau is, in some way, behind the death. Of course, she (Sally Ellers) doesn’t know of his spooky suspicions, but he does confide in his doctor (Regis Toomey) who is sceptical to begin with, but who begins to wonder if this man “Curtis” (Warren William) is indeed whom he claims to be. Might he have had an hand in the seemingly accidental death of the father - who was a judge? As the story develops, the young lad has to take up residence at the asylum of the enigmatic “Prof. Muhlbach” (Charles Ant) and the plot thickens more. Is there any truth to his dreaming or is he just a succumbing to the stresses and strains of his father’s death and of his mother’s impending nuptials? Lydon holds this together enthusiastically and as the mystery deepens, it has a slightly more sinister feel to it than many of these standard afternoon features. It also touches, albeit superficially, on the effects of grief on the young man and offers us something psychologically plausible for a while as “Paul” struggles to conclude himself whether he is correct or just losing the plot. Speaking of plots, yes there are some familiarities with other noir mysteries here, but Lydon does well and this certainly is just a little more menacingly different.

English