NIGHT KEY

US, 1937, 67 minutes, Black and white.
Boris Karloff, Jean Rogers, Warren Hull, Samuel S. Hinds, Alan Baxter, Ward Bond, Edwin Maxwell.
Directed by Lloyd Corrigan.

Night Key is a B budget thriller from Universal in the late '30s. It relies on the talents of Boris Karloff. Amongst others, Ward Bond appears in the supporting cast. It focuses on an inventor, his love for his daughter, his gradual blindness, the exploitation of his inventions by his jealous friend, his thwarting the friend by counter-inventions, security locks, robbers, the monopoly of the big business men and their crooked lawyers. This all happens in the space of about 70 minutes in the brisk '30s style. While dated (as is its technology), it is done with earnestness and warmth which makes it an enjoyable short feature.

1. Entertaining thriller? Romance? Crime drama? With point?

2. Universal Studios production values: black and white photography, B-budget, the cast, special effects for the inventions, action sequences, musical score?

3. The title and its focus on security measures? use of inventions, monopolies, patents? Big firms?

4. The focus on David Mallory and his scientific abilities, his invention of the security systems? His growing blindness? Love for his daughter? Steven Ranger and his jealousy, exploiting Mallory's inventions, using a lawyer to doublecross him? Mallory's reaction against Ranger, his devices to thwart the use of his invention? The kidnapping of his daughter, the criminal group and their using him? The systems to commit robberies? His ingenious way of alerting the police? The growing dangers, his growing blindness, his love for his daughter, the rescue by Jim? The final ingenious routing of the criminal group? The rescue of his daughter? The confrontation with Ranger? His vindication? An interesting character in the Boris Karloff style?

5. Jim as the security guard, the hero, the encounters with Jo , the involvement, helping Mallory, the dangers, the confrontation with the gang? Happy ending? Hero?

6. Jo and her love for her father, her work, the need for money, supporting him? The encounters with Jim, antagonism, falling in love? Being kidnapped? The dangers? Support of her father? Reunited with Jim?

7. Steven Ranger and his jealousy of Mallow marrying his wife, using his inventions, big business, wanting to buy him out to save his old system, being thwarted, the media interviews and the exposure? Using his crooked lawyer? The robberies, the pressure on him, the capitulation?

8. The criminal gang, the kid and his arrogance, pressure on Mallory? His standover men? The robberies, the robbers caught by the police?

9. Louis as the small-time crook, the encounter with Mallory, helping him, the comic touches, his finally being shot? A sympathetic character?

10. The small running time, the small budget, action and characters, traditional themes, values? Entertainment?