This week’s mystery movie was the 1934 Paramount picture Double Door, “The play that made Broadway gasp,” with Evelyn Venable, Sir Guy Standing, Kent Taylor, Mary Morris, Anne Revere, Colin Tapley, Virginia Howell, Halliwell Hobbes, Frank Dawson, Helen Shipman and Leonard Carey.
Screenplay by Gladys Lehman and Jack Cunningham. Adapted from the stage play by Elizabeth A. McFadden. Suggested by Hermine Klepac.
Photography by Harry Fiscbeck.
Directed by Charles Vidor.
Double Door is available on a Kino Lorber Blu-ray from Critics’ Choice Video with commentary by Tom Weaver, David Del Valle and Stan Shaffer.
Information on the history of Double Door is available from the AFI catalog.
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I chose Double Door based on a recent comment by film noir scholar Alan K. Rode. The film has never aired on TCM and it’s a nice discovery — it’s a really, really creepy movie. Harrison’s Reports (May 5, 1934) said: “It is too terrifying for children, adolescents or for Sunday showing.”
I’m going to guess that the New York Times liked the film because it originated on Broadway. Mordaunt Hall, perhaps?
Looks like Andre Sennwald (ADS) may have gotten the assignment (May 5, 1934):
The Van Brett mansion, which is the chill setting for Double Door, has lost none of its genteel horror in the process of transportation to the screen of the Paramount. With Mary Morris as its grim and fisheyed mistress, the brownstone house on Fifth Avenue contains its old complement of frightened occupants, murderous shadows, closed shutters and — this last in a whisper — a secret chamber. It, and the events for which it provides a setting, make up the sort of cooling antidote an earnest filmgoer needs when the weather gets warm.
Trivia note: The stage show featured Milton Berle, Gertrude Niesen, Norman Frescott, Ann Pritchard, the Nicholas brothers and the Bob Alton ballet. People really got a show for their money in those days.
For Monday, we have a mystery woman.
Update: This is Helen Shipman.
For Tuesday, we have another mystery woman.
Update: This is Virginia Howell.
We also have this formal mystery gent.
Update: This is Frank Dawson.
And for “Hm Wednesday,” we have this mystery woman.
Update: This is Anne Revere making her film debut after appearing in the Broadway play.
For “Aha Thursday,” we have this dignified mystery fellow.
Update: This is Halliwell Hobbes.
We also have this mystery gent and Back of the Head Bride, which I think is a first.
Update: This is Colin Tapley with Evelyn Venable as Back of the Head Bride
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery woman), Jenny M. (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery woman), Sylvia E. (mystery movie and Tuesday, Wednesday’s mystery guests) and Sheila (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery guests).
For Friday, we have our mysterious bride and mystery groom.
Update: This is Kent Taylor and Evelyn Venable.
We also have a mystery woman. And let me tell you, she spends the entire movie not approving of such goings-on.
Update: This is Mary Morris, who had a long Broadway career, in her only screen appearance. I’m surprised she only made one movie – she’s terrific.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (all mystery guests), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery woman and Thursday’s mystery fellow No. 1), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests, plus Back of the Head Bride), Sheila (Thursday’s mystery gent No. 2 and Back of the Head Bride), Sylvia E. (Monday’s mystery woman, Thursday’s mystery guests and Back of the Head Bride, plus the mystery director and Friday’s mystery guests), Blackwing Jenny (Thursday’s mystery fellow No. 1) and Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mysterious fellow No. 1).
ladailymirror.com 
Not sure who this woman is, but this is an absolutely gorgeous shot.
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It really is. The whole mystery movie is well photographed.
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One of the Val Lewtons?
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No…. Good guess, though.
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There are a lot of mysterious looking urns in the images you’ve chosen. Urns viewed from the back in display cases, urns viewed from the front in display cases next to butlers… Hmmm, part of a theme maybe??????
No clue – but beautiful images as you’ve said.
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SECRET BEYOND THE DOOR. Anne Revere today.
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Alec Guinness in “Kind Hearts and Coronets”? If not, my apologies to the actress.
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Ann Revere in Double Door.
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Flora Robson.
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A great guess. But alas, I’m afraid not.
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Wednesday’s lady looks like Anne Revere, but I’m not sure.
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Okay. I’m going with “Double Door” 1934
Monday – not sure
Tuesday – maybe Virginia Howell?
– Frank Dawson (I think)
Wednesday – Anne Revere
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Frank Dawson, Anne Revere in ‘Double Door’?
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DOUBLE DOOR. I guessed SECRET BEYOND THE DOOR yesterday. Helen Shipman Monday, Virginia Howell Tuesday, Frank Dawson on Wednesday, and Halliwell Hobbes, BOTH Evelyn Venable, and Colin Tapley today.
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If it’s Anne Severe and Halliwell Hobbs, then it’s Double Door.
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Anne Revere, Halliwell Hobbes, Evelyn Venable and Colin Tapley in DOUBLE DOOR.
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Evelyn Venable and Colin Tapley for Thursday?
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George Murphy on Thursday?
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Thursday – 1) Halliwell Hobbes
2) Colin Tapley (I think) and bothw is Evelyn Venable
Is Monday’s maid Helen Shipman?
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Director – Charles Vidor
Adding Mary Morris to my short list of acting folks who’ve only appeared in a tiny number of films (in her case, one.)
Besides Morris tomorrow will bring Kent Taylor and Sir Guy Standing (the name sounds like a punchline to an old vaudeville joke) as well as a front view of Ms Venable.
Looking forward to the scary Saturday breakdown on this one.
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All I’ve got is Halliwell Hobbes.
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Hallilwell Hobbes on Thursday is as far as I’ve gotten with all this.
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Kent Taylor and Venable and Mary Morris.
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Kent Taylor, Evelyn Venable and Mary Morris.
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Kent Taylor and barnstormin’ Mary Morris for Friday.
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