Night Key

source: Night Key

The kind of movie designed for young couples back in the day, complete with a rumble seat! Not a horror film, even though Boris Karloff starred, but a neat crime caper (bordering on sci fi) as he plays an elderly inventor who is kidnapped by a gang of thieves. The dirty rats even steal his eye glasses! Interestingly, this role may have lead to him being cast in a series of B horror films for Columbia Pictures, generally playing a gray-haired scientist on the verge of a major discovery! Warren Hull (as a security guard) and beautiful Jean Rogers (as Karloff's daughter) team up to save him and the day! A well written crime drama, similar to the type of B-entertainment Warner Brothers was churning out at the time, though this was produced by Universal, and with a host of entertaining characters. Hobart Cavanaugh (as Petty Louie) is hilarious as a not too bright pickpocket who becomes Karloff's new BFF, while Alan Baxter plays the smooth talking head of a crime ring who has nefarious plans for his revolutionary invention. Ward Bond has an early role as one of the tough talking thugs along for the ride. There's some clever electric gimmickry involving an alarm beam and a good chase sequence, all while Hull and Rogers get to know each other. Told you it was a drive-in movie! Watch for the scene where the gangsters' long sedan is rolled into a waiting moving van. Interesting! A fast-paced, fun watch, that has been a rerun fave for decades, usually on the late, late show (for us old timers!) Universal has also released it in a box set with other Karloff films.

Copyright 23 April 1937 by Universal Pictures Co., Inc. New York opening at the Central: 18 April 1937. U.S. release: 2 May 1937. U.K. release: June 1937. 6,098 feet. 67¾ minutes. SYNOPSIS: Dave Mallory invents a superior burglar alarm, but is swindled by his former partner. So he invents a neutralizing apparatus and stages a series of "burglaries". NOTES: Karloff's first starring role for Universal in comparatively normal make-up. Universal's publicity flacks made much of this little item of "news", pointing out that it took Jack Pierce only 90 minutes to prepare the actor for his role. COMMENT: No wonder Corrigan went back to acting! As a director, he was hopelessly inept, unable to pries respectable performances even from halfway decent actors. Samuel S. Hinds is the worst offender here, standing stiffly whilst he rattles off lines like a talking weighing machine. Karloff's dithery old scientist proves a disappointing bore. Not his fault. The main plot performs as well as tepid tea. A romantic sub- plot pans out equally mindlessly. A bit of action at the finale, plus one agreeably menacing shot between the heads of the crooks as they advance on our hero, fail to compensate for the picture's overall lack of sparkle and penny-pinching production values. OTHER VIEWS: Under Lloyd Corrigan's polished direction, this first- rate thriller is capably served throughout by enjoyable players. — The New York Times.

Typecast as "Boris Karloff" the monster, William Henry Pratt (his real name) was cast almost exclusively as monsters and mad scientists. He shows glimmers of real humanity in most of these roles, but rarely got to play a hero. Here is the exception. A kindly old scientist steps over the line only slightly in order to compel a ruthless businessman who has twice cheated him to do the right thing. In the end, he proves himself loyal, kind, honest, and courageous, in spite of being elderly and nearly blind. A movie like this (though definitely a "B" movie) demonstrates that this did not have to be the case. Karloff/Pratt could easily have played many a kindly grandfather or filled many other likable roles. What a pity he so rarely got the chance!

Dave Mallory(Boris Karloff) is robbed of his invention, a burglar alarm system and a gang of thieves kidnap Karloff so they can use his invention to commit robberies. In this picture Karloff changes from a medieval monster and in NIGHT KEY he has relaxed into a soft-spoken, hazy-eyed old man who promises to become Hollywood's favorite grandpa. However, his invention performs Si-Fi gamma rays which proves deadly in a novel and exciting way to his enemies. The story does slow down for occasional time out for side romance.

While not a major role for Boris Karloff, this film shows that he could have played nicer guys in his career, if he had never been shown the road to cinematic fame. He plays David Mallory, a kindly, hard working inventor who has perfected one of the first complete security systems of modern times (the 1930s version of those systems that are used in films like MISSION IMPOSSIBLE). Mallory lives with his daughter Joan (Jean Rogers) and hopes that it's marketing will give them the financial security that they have always deserved. But he has been cheated by his partner, Steven Ranger (Samuel S. Hinds) with the assistance of his lawyer Kreuger (Edwin Maxwell). Mallory is torn between seeking legal redress and getting vengeance (a typical Karloff situation, but usually his ego pushes it towards vengeance). Instead, he is befriended by a small time thief (Hobart Cavanaugh) whom he helps by defusing his alarm system in a robbery. Unfortunately this comes to the attention of a major criminal (Alan Baxter) who forces Karloff to do this to all the businesses that are using his system (the "Night Key" of the title). The story is unique in that Karloff is not a villain at all in this (his actions in aiding criminals are forced on him, except when he helps the fairly decent Cavanaugh). But it's not the only switch in the casting. The real villain in here (except for Baxter) is Samuel S. Hinds. Hinds normally was cast as a decent man - the father or grandfather of the hero or heroine. He is Katherine Hepburn's father in STAGEDOOR, who arranges her being hired by Adolphe Menjou so she can be "cured" of her acting bug. He is best recalled as the unfortunate father of Jimmy Stewart in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, who founds the savings and loan, battles Potter, but drops dead from a heart attack before Stewart can leave Bedford Falls. Occasionally he played rogues - he is the crooked judge in the film DESTRY RIDES AGAIN. But he goes really full blown here. Also, in the Bing Crosby film DOUBLE, OR NOTHING! Hinds is the sneaky father of a family of would-be heirs, out to sabotage the opposition by any underhanded trick they can come up with. In NIGHT KEY when the system is tested on the night it is installed it catches a small time crook. Hinds is upset by that: "Why can't you be a big time crook?", he shouts at the poor thief. It is an odd switch of the two actor's position from their normal roles. Karloff was such a good actor (as was Hinds) that their switch in characterizations is carried off well. Not a great film, NIGHT KEY is a very well made minor product: a filler for the movie house program besides the grade "A" productions, the short subjects, cartoons, travelogues, etc. As such it is worth viewing in order to see what Karloff might have ended up doing more of had he had less luck.

...For Boris Karloff goes out of his way to make his point to his former rival who after many years has defrauded him once again, all because of their love of the same woman and Hinds' resentment because Karloff married her and had a beautiful daughter (Jean Rogers) with him. Now widowed, Karloff has perfected an alarm system which Hinds buys, but refuses to install, basically financially destroying Karloff. Hinds isn't too pleased when Karloff's "Night Key" prevents the alarm from going off in a clock shop at the right time (and the security guards are furious when all the clock's cuckoos go off at the same time!) then repeats the same thing in an umbrella shop. But gangster Alan Baxter wants to get his hands on the night key and with the help of the lovable thief Hobart Cavanaugh, Karloff tries to stop Baxter from using his invention for criminal intentions. Warren Hull is the moral security guard working for Hinds who realizes that Karloff has been defrauded and works overtime to expose his boss and win over Karloff's pretty daughter. A fun, fast-moving crime drama with only the slightest bit of science fiction thrown in, "Night Key" is one of those movies with some preposterous ideas that in an alternate universe would seem realistic. Cavanaugh adds some humor to his petty crook, and his atonement after getting Karloff unintentionally involved with Baxter is truly touching. Baxter, reminding me of that film noir villain Dan Duryea, is unique in the gangster film universe as he seems much younger than the usual film gangster. Hinds' vengeful businessman is of course not likable but he has a chance to redeem himself too once he finally opens his eyes to what he has become. Rogers is lovely, feisty and a perfect heroine here. Karloff is a bit more touching here with his almost blindness giving a vulnerability to him that has you rooting for him even when he's actually breaking the law.

I just got through watching NIGHT KEY over the weekend and remembered why Boris Karloff was one of the top actors during Hollywood's Golden Age. Not only could he do horror with one hand tied behind his back just to make it fair to other actors, he could do mainstream and action fare as well. NIGHT KEY can be seen today as an ancestor to all those high-tech epics that we've seen these days. It's time to scope out NIGHT KEY. It is included in a five-movie DVD collection, but worth the trouble. That's all.

1937's "Night Key" came during Hollywood horror's lean period, proving that even at his home studio, Universal had no more idea what to do with 'horror star' Boris Karloff than did their counterparts over at Warners, who (after "The Walking Dead") cast him as a comic Oriental in "West of Shanghai," a milquetoast red herring in "The Invisible Menace," a railroaded doctor ala Samuel Mudd in "Devil's Island," and a master spy in "British Intelligence." At least Boris gets a starring vehicle to finish his one picture contract extension from "The Invisible Ray," unlike co-star Bela Lugosi, whose contract was thrown away on a minibudgeted programmer, "Postal Inspector," loaded with stock disaster footage, receiving a meager fourth billing as a nightclub owner gone bad. Previously billed at Universal only as 'Karloff' (beginning with "The Black Cat"), Boris does wind up somewhat diminished in this entertaining little 'B,' as elderly electronics wizard David Mallory, who foolishly signs away the rights to his latest burglar alarm system to the same unscrupulous partner who had swindled him 20 years before, Steven Ranger, ironically played by perennial nice guy Samuel S. Hinds ("The Raven," "It's a Wonderful Life"). Now faced with an uncertain future for himself and devoted daughter Joan (Jean Rogers), the nearly blind Mallory resorts to petty mischief, with the aid of a small-time crook appropriately named 'Petty Louie' (Hobart Cavanaugh), gleefully breaking and entering (but careful not to steal) using his own device to foil Ranger's security system. Trouble really starts when a criminal gang headed by 'The Kid' (Alan Baxter) decide to use Mallory's invention to commit real robberies, purposely leaving clues to incriminate their unwilling accomplice. Lovely Jean Rogers, Flash Gordon's Dale Arden, is ably supported by J. Warren Hull, Karloff's former co-star in "The Walking Dead," continuing his crime fighting ways by starring in "The Spider's Web," "The Spider Returns," "Mandrake the Magician," and "The Green Hornet Strikes Again." Interesting to see dependable Frank Reicher and Ward Bond in major villain roles, while Edwin Maxwell ("Mystery of the Wax Museum") is perfectly in character as Mallory's shady lawyer, selling him down the river. Director Lloyd Corrigan only had one further feature before switching to full time acting by 1939, gracing such future Universals as "Dark Streets of Cairo," "North to the Klondike," "Mystery of Marie Roget," "Eyes of the Underworld," "Captive Wild Woman," and "She-Wolf of London." Despite its inclusion in Universal's popular SHOCK! television package of the late 50s, "Night Key" has predictably remained under the radar ever since, even among Karloff fans. Classics like "Frankenstein" and "The Mummy" had already aired multiple times on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater before they finally got around to this one (twice)- Sept 18 1976 (preceding 1934's "The Man Who Reclaimed His Head") and June 24 1978 (following 1946's "She-Wolf of London").

The almighty Boris Karloff is primarily an icon of horror cinema so it's a bit peculiar that this film, which is in no way horror-related, got included in the fancy and recently released Karloff DVD-collection (cover image displayed here on the main page). Personally, I'm glad it's there, as "Night Key" was completely unknown to me and it's always a great pleasure to discover a new film from your favorite actor, especially if it's as amusing and adequately plotted as this film! Boris is once again very convincing as the elderly inventor of burglar alarms who just reached a personal breakthrough with his new system of a beam-based alarm. When he attempts to sell his invention to a major company, the manager slash former business partner robs him for the second time and Mallory develops a plan to get even. By developing a way to crack the old alarm systems, he hopes to sell his new one quicker but unfortunately a gang of mobsters takes quite an interest in his burglary methods… "Night Key" is by no means a mesmerizing film, but it benefices from a good pace and excellent acting performances. Apart from Boris, there's the really great acting to admire of Alan Baxter, Ward Bond and Hobart Cavanaugh as a small time crook. It's a fun little film, albeit very politically correct and loaded with clichés and stereotypes.