MIRACLES FOR SALE
US, 1939, 71 minutes, Black and white.
Robert Young, Florence Rice, Frank Craven, Henry Hull, Lee Bowman, Walter Kingsford, Gloria Holden, William Demarest.
Directed by Tod Browning.
Miracles for Sale was the last film of Tod Browning, responsible for such films as Dracula, Freaks, Devil Doll, Mark of the Vampire and many silent films.
The film is set in New York City, in the world of magicians and mediums? Robert Young is a very suave proprietor of a company which makes devices for magicians. Florence Rice is a frightened young heroine, whose sister (Gloria Holden) believes she is a medium. There is a genial performance from Frank Craven as Robert Young’s father, a performance by Henry Hull (Werewolf of London) as his escapist friend. William Demarest appears as a detective.
The film is a murder mystery, uses various devices that magicians use – intriguing for the audience. There is a final revelation, Agatha Christie style, with everyone present, of who the actual murderer is – and anyone with a keen eye and suspecting makeup will not have too much difficulty in realising who the murderer is.
Brief running time, entertaining mystery, 1930s style.
1. The title? The world of magicians, mediums? The reality of miracles? Fakes?
2. Black and white photography, New York setting, Michael Morgan’s shop, apartments? The nightclubs and performances? The séances?
3. The murder mystery, the atmosphere of the miracles and tricks? The motivation?
4. Michael Morgan, genial, retired from performance, his skill in building things? Dave and his testing of the water for the escape? The mind-readers – and the microphone concealed as audiences whispered their information? The various devices in the apartment – and Mike’s father getting caught up in many of them? The names of magicians to open the secret door?
5. The performance at the club? The cards? The later use of this trick at the hotel – and the wrong movement of the cards? The clue for the murder?
6. The mind-readers and their performances – and their squabbles afterwards?
7. Dad, his arrival from the country, anti-New York, the taxi driver and the dollar, his helping Judy? With the police? The solution of the case – and becoming a New Yorker?
8. Dave, his performances, friendship with Mike? The murders, the blackmail, his attempted escape? His makeup, the artificial lenses?
9. Madam Rapport, Judy as her sister, her belief in her powers? Encouraged by Doctor Sabbatt? Doctor Sabbatt and his work on vampires and ghosts? The preparation for his performance? His relationship with the murderer? The blackmail? His death and its gruesome nature, laid out on the floor?
10. The police, Gavigan, his investigations, the work of Detective Quinn? Collaborating with Mike, the set-ups and the performance, flushing out the criminal?
11. Judy, coming to Mike, the taxi and the pursuer? Going back to the hotel, not telling Mike everything? The intruder in her hotel room? Mike and his support? Her sister, her concern about Doctor Sabbatt? Her being the target for murder? Willing to perform on stage? The elaborate preparation for the shooting, the bullets, the committee, Dave and his substituting the bullet? The military man not shooting at Judy? The flushing out of the criminal?
12. The range of tricks – especially with the opening, the woman being sawed in half – and it being a performance?
13. The intriguing worlds of magicians?
