I Just Watched...

[Swithin]

You know, I have a feeling I would catch hands from anyone actually living in 1942 for saying this, but OH WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE!!

I say this because I tripped quite by accident over an absolutely delightful little OLD DARK HOUSE MURDER MYSTERY THRILLER/UNINTENTIONAL LAUGH RIOT from WARNER BROS. called THE HIDDEN HAND made in 1942.



I have never seen anything quite like it- well, not that's not true- I have- the film itself is basically the result of someone throwing ONE FRIGHTENED NIGHT and NIGHT MONSTER and ARSENIC AND OLD LACE and THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE and YOU'LL FIND OUT and HOLD THAT GHOST and THE OLD DARK HOUSE into a BLENDER and the end result was directed by ED WOOD.

I would not have been THE LEAST BIT SURPRISED if THE ANDREWS SISTERS had showed up at the end.

I am sorry that I cannot ENLARGE PRINT HERE, because truly it needs to be said IN BOLD IN COLOR AND IN ALL CAPS AND IN SIZE 42 FONT THAT THIS MOVIE IS BANANNERS.

I'm going to copy and paste the plot from imdb because I don't have the mental capacity to recap it and I doubt my own sanity 12 hours after seeing this.

Peter Thorne (Craig Stevens)is a young attorney who works for an eccentric old woman, Lorinda Channing (Cecil Cunningham), who uses her insane brother, John Channing (Milton Parsons), to frighten her other relatives because they are after her money. Further complications arrive when another murderer arrives on the scene and plants the blame on John Channing.

(end paste)

CECIL CUNNINGHAM (AUNT PATTY from THE AWFUL TRUTH) is OPENLY HOSTILE TO BEING IN THIS MOVIE, she is OBVIOUSLY NOT HERE IT, MOTHER. And while I don't ENTIRELY BLAME HER, because she's not right for the part (who the HELL would be is A WHOLE OTHER QUESTION) her costar MILTON PARSONS invests himself in the role of THE MANIAC KILLER 110% in spite of the fact that I'M SURE it was QUITE OBVIOUS to ALL INVOLVED that this movie was not going to rival CITIZEN KANE in terms of its impact on cinema of the time.

it's like watching JOHN MALKOVICH play THE RAYMOND MASSEY PART in ARSENIC AND OLD LACE.



I guarantee you HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS MOVIE!!!! (well, you HAVE, but you've never seen it DONE LIKE THIS)

THERE IS A SCENE AT THE VERY END THAT I REPLAYED 20 TIMES AND I LAUGHED HYSTERICALLY EACH TIME.

Oh man, people in 1942 really needed this movie, I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE SEEN AN AUDIENCE REACTION.

Well that was a hoot! I think in terms of production it's a bit higher class than some similar movies, since it's WB and with pros like Milo Anderson and Perc Westmore on the production team. Milton Parsons was made for his role! One of my favorite scenes was when Mr. Poe fell off his perch, from eating the poisoned cherries. I tried to think logically whilst watching this film, but I gave that up pretty quickly. Thanks for the recommendation, Lorna!



"I don't like that pigeon, and I don't think he likes me neither!"

[ziggy6708a]

You know, I have a feeling I would catch hands from anyone actually living in 1942 for saying this, but OH WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE!!

I say this because I tripped quite by accident over an absolutely delightful little OLD DARK HOUSE MURDER MYSTERY THRILLER UNINTENTIONAL LAUGH RIOT from WARNER BROS. called THE HIDDEN HAND made in 1942.



I have never seen anything quite like it- well, not that's not true- I have- the film itself is basically the result of someone throwing ONE FRIGHTENED NIGHT and NIGHT MONSTER and ARSENIC AND OLD LACE and THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE and YOU'LL FIND OUT and HOLD THAT GHOST and THE OLD DARK HOUSE into a BLENDER and the end result was directed by ED WOOD.

I am sorry that I cannot ENLARGE PRINT HERE, because truly it needs to be said IN BOLD IN COLOR AND IN ALL CAPS AND IN SIZE 42 FONT THAT THIS MOVIE IS BANANNERS.

I'm going to copy and paste the plot from imdb because I don't have the mental capacity to recap it and I doubt my own sanity 12 hours after seeing this.

Peter Thorne (Craig Stevens)is a young attorney who works for an eccentric old woman, Lorinda Channing (Cecil Cunningham), who uses her insane brother, John Channing (Milton Parsons), to frighten her other relatives because they are after her money. Further complications arrive when another murderer arrives on the scene and plants the blame on John Channing.

(end paste)

CECIL CUNNINGHAM (AUNT PATTY from THE AWFUL TRUTH) is OPENLY HOSTILE TO BEING IN THIS MOVIE, she is OBVIOUSLY NOT HERE IT, MOTHER. And while I don't ENTIRELY BLAME HER, because she's not right for the part (who the HELL would be is A WHOLE OTHER QUESTION) her costar MILTON PARSONS invests himself in the role of THE MANIAC KILLER 110% in spite of the fact that, yes obviously, this is movie is not going to rival CITIZEN KANE in terms of its impact on the art form of film.

it's like watching JOHN MALKOVICH play THE RAYMOND MASSEY PART in ARSENIC AND OLD LACE.



I guarantee you HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS MOVIE!!!!

THERE IS A SCENE AT THE VERY END THAT I REPLAYED 20 TIMES AND I LAUGHED HYSTERICALLY EACH TIME.

Oh man, people in 1942 really needed this movie, I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE SEEN AN AUDIENCE REACTION.

Rarely has a post made me want to see a movie as soon as possible, the way this post has! Can't wait -- I see it's on YouTube.

[TikiSoo]

Is it an equipment problem? Either on TCMs end or the broadcaster? I don't know how these things werk.
I'll ask MarkP, he worked at a TV station broadcasting movies back in the analog days & may have insight.

OK, I asked MarkP last night and no surprise, he absolutely knows how this happens.
Slightly paraphrased quote:
You realize these are digital files sent via satellite. It's not like the signal goes from TCM's server site directly to a satellite in orbit then straight down to your TV. The satellites move and signals get picked up & transmitted to a regional tower that routes it to your server and further transmitted to your TV/computer/phone.
Think about when you burn disks of movie files, they are TS audio and visual folders, it's CODE. Any one of the servers/towers/transmitters can be just a fraction of a second off receiving or processing the digital signal.
Sometimes if you leave the station, watch something else for 10 minutes then try again, you get a better signal."

Since so many of you had trouble with the same movie, I'd guess this title needs to be upgraded/uploaded for "broadcast" most likely from the source servers/transmitters.

[Lorna]

IN RE: THE HIDDEN HAND (1942)

Well that was a hoot! I think in terms of production it's a bit higher class than some similar movies, since it's WB and with pros like Milo Anderson and Perc Westmore on the production team. Milton Parsons was made for his role! One of my favorite scenes was when Mr. Poe fell off his perch, from eating the poisoned cherries. I tried to think logically whilst watching this film, but I gave that up pretty quickly. Thanks for the recommendation, Lorna!



"I don't like that pigeon, and I don't think he likes me neither!"

YES!

THE HIGH(ish) PRODUCTION VALUES threw me for a loop (they spent some money on that TRAP DOOR EFFECT and the PROCESS PHOTGRAPHY)- I did not expect so much money to be thrown at a story of such questionable artistic merit, but Hell, I didn't keep the books for Warners (which is a good thing on multiple fronts.)

Thank you for mentioning THE UNFORTUNATE MR. POE, as a rule, I don't usually find violence against animals funny, but I laughed, and then felt guilty and then laughed some more.

i doubt they actually killed the RAVEN, but then again, it was HOLLYWOOD in the 40's...

aside: Who THE HELL has a PET RAVEN that they KEEP INSIDE THE HOUSE?! There's no way that doesn't smell.

I think the EXTERIOR OF THE HOUSE is the same one that later appeared in FLAMINGO ROAD as JOAN CRAWFORD'S PLACE.

For an hour and nine minute movie, A LOT sure happens in this. It may have its faults, but being boring is not one of them.

[Swithin]

YES!

THE HIGH(ish) PRODUCTION VALUES threw me for a loop (they spent some money on that TRAP DOOR EFFECT and the PROCESS PHOTGRAPHY)- I did not expect so much money to be thrown at a story of such questionable artistic merit, but Hell, I didn't keep the books for Warners (which is a good thing on multiple fronts.)

Thank you for mentioning THE UNFORTUNATE MR. POE, as a rule, I don't usually find violence against animals funny, but I laughed, and then felt guilty and then laughed some more.

i doubt they actually killed the RAVEN, but then again, it was HOLLYWOOD in the 40's...

aside: Who THE HELL has a PET RAVEN that they KEEP INSIDE THE HOUSE?! There's no way that doesn't smell.

I think the EXTERIOR OF THE HOUSE is the same one that later appeared in FLAMINGO ROAD as JOAN CRAWFORD'S PLACE.

For an hour and nine minute movie, A LOT sure happens in this. It may have its faults, but being boring is not one of them.

I wonder if we are given the hint that Mary is Lorinda's daughter. She is Lorinda's hair, and Lorinda gives up her life for her at the end. Also Lorinda mentions that at one time she was engaged to Mary's father. But I am reading way too much into this!

[Swithin]

YES!

THE HIGH(ish) PRODUCTION VALUES threw me for a loop (they spent some money on that TRAP DOOR EFFECT and the PROCESS PHOTGRAPHY)- I did not expect so much money to be thrown at a story of such questionable artistic merit, but Hell, I didn't keep the books for Warners (which is a good thing on multiple fronts.)

Thank you for mentioning THE UNFORTUNATE MR. POE, as a rule, I don't usually find violence against animals funny, but I laughed, and then felt guilty and then laughed some more.

i doubt they actually killed the RAVEN, but then again, it was HOLLYWOOD in the 40's...

aside: Who THE HELL has a PET RAVEN that they KEEP INSIDE THE HOUSE?! There's no way that doesn't smell.

I think the EXTERIOR OF THE HOUSE is the same one that later appeared in FLAMINGO ROAD as JOAN CRAWFORD'S PLACE.

For an hour and nine minute movie, A LOT sure happens in this. It may have its faults, but being boring is not one of them.

I wonder if we are given the hint that Mary is Lorinda's daughter. She is Lorinda's heir, and Lorinda gives up her life for her at the end. Also Lorinda mentions that at one time she was engaged to Mary's father. But I am reading way too much into this!

[Lorna]

RE: MARY being the LONG LOST ILLEGITAMATE DAUGHTER of LORINDA in THE HIDDEN HAND (1942)

Yeah, I thought so too, but I guess THE HAYES CODE- which was fine with multiple trap door murders and a homicidal maniac and two ethic stereotypes and a rather glib portrayal of mental illness- DREW THE LINE AT THE NOTION OF A CHILD BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK.

PS- there was also a dash of EAST LYNNE in this
PSS- also also, the LUDICROUS SUBPLOT about THE OLD WOMAN BRIBING HER DOCTOR to give her a DRUG THAT WILL MAKE HER APPEAR TO BE DEAD (?!?!?!?!) is right out of ONE FRIGHTENED NIGHT, a pretty fun little thriller from the early thirties.

psss- spoiler kind of- AND THEN THE DOCTOR JUST DOESN'T GIVE HER THE ANTIDOTE to THE MIRACLE DEATH SERUM as a way of killing her, I mean, WHY THE HELL NOT JUST GIVE HER POISON AND SAVE THE AMAZING DEATH FAKING DRUG FOR SOMETIME WHEN YOU REALLY NEED IT???!!!

PSSSS- i think any thinking about this movie constitutes overthinking.

[Lorna]

I will say something off-color, but true:

If you took a date to see THE HIDDEN HAND instead of THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS back in 1942, your chances of gettin laid after the show were 1000% better.

[CinemaInternational]

RE: MARY being the LONG LOST ILLEGITAMATE DAUGHTER of LORINDA in THE HIDDEN HAND (1942)

Yeah, I thought so too, but I guess THE HAYES CODE- which was fine with multiple trap door murders and a homicidal maniac and two ethic stereotypes and a rather glib portrayal of mental illness- DREW THE LINE AT THE NOTION OF A CHILD BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK.

Children out of wedlock had been brought up in some films even after the code came in (A Woman Rebels in 1936, for example), but you are unto something that plagued the code, and quite frankly the MPAA rating system of the post-code era to this day: an over-acceptance of graphic violence. They were and remain strict on everything else, but they go all loosey-goosey on violent material.

[jamesjazzguitar]

RE: MARY being the LONG LOST ILLEGITAMATE DAUGHTER of LORINDA in THE HIDDEN HAND (1942)

Yeah, I thought so too, but I guess THE HAYES CODE- which was fine with multiple trap door murders and a homicidal maniac and two ethic stereotypes and a rather glib portrayal of mental illness- DREW THE LINE AT THE NOTION OF A CHILD BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK.

Children out of wedlock had been brought up in some films even after the code came in (A Woman Rebels in 1936, for example), but you are unto something that plagued the code, and quite frankly the MPAA rating system of the post-code era to this day: an over-acceptance of graphic violence. They were and remain strict on everything else, but they go all loosey-goosey on violent material.

You're correct that many code films featured women who had children out of wedlock. Olivia DeHavilland won an Oscar for Best Actress playing one in To Each His Own (1946), and two years later Jane Wyman did the same thing in Johnny Belinda. It was how the subject was handled that was the issue.

[Lorna]

Children out of wedlock had been brought up in some films even after the code came in (A Woman Rebels in 1936, for example), but you are unto something that plagued the code, and quite frankly the MPAA rating system of the post-code era to this day: an over-acceptance of graphic violence. they were and remain strict on everything else, but they go all loosey-goosey on violent material.

Not a toilet flush on screen between 1934 and 1960 though, so there is that.

[Lorna]

ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY that I would HAVE LOVED TO HAVE BEEN A FLY ON THE WALL when the studio first screened THE HIDDEN HAND for the panel or whoever it was that certified films to be approved by THE MPAA

The lights in the screening room go up and a chorus of voices call out in unison
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ABOUT???!"

[Swithin]

ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY that I would HAVE LOVED TO HAVE BEEN A FLY ON THE WALL when the studio first screened THE HIDDEN HAND for the panel or whoever it was that certified films to be approved by THE MPAA

The lights in the screening room go up and a chorus of voices call out in unison
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ABOUT???!"

The Hidden Hand is based one a play by Rufus King called Invitation to a Murder. I just checked the IBDB (Internet Broadway Database) to see the cast.

Walter Abel
Humphrey Bogart
and
Gale Sondergaard as Lorinda!

The following year (1935), Bogart appeared on Broadway as Duke Mantee in The Petrified Forest.

https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-productio ... gNightCast

[Masha]

Blazing Saddles (1974)

It remains insanely funny from start to finish.

8.9/11