This week’s mystery movie was the 1944 Universal picture Phantom Lady, with Franchot Tone, Ella Raines, Alan Curtis, Thomas Gomez, Aurora, Elisha Cook Jr., Fay Helm, Regis Toomey, Joseph Crehan and Andrew Tombes.
Screenplay by Bernard C. Schoenfeld. Based on the novel by William Irish.
Photography by Woody Bredell. Musical director H.J. Salter.
Art direction by John B. Goodman and Robert Clatworthy. Sound by Bernard B. Brown. Technician Joe Lapis. Set decorations by R.A. Gausman and L.R. Smith.
Edited by Arthur Hilton. Gowns by Vera West.
Assistant director Seward Webb. Phantom Hat created by Kenneth Hopkins.
Musical numbers staged by Lester Horton.
Associate producer Joan Harrison.
Directed by Robert Siodmak.
Phantom Lady is available on DVD from Critics’ Choice Videos.
More on the history of the film is available from the AFI catalog.
I chose Phantom Lady because it was scheduled in the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival in Palm Springs, which ends Sunday.
I’m guessing Bosley Crowther really hated Phantom Lady and may have palmed it off on one of the “alphabet soup” reviewers.
Bosley reviewed it all right (Feb. 18, 1944). And he…
Hated it big time!
Something was bound to happen when a former Alfred Hitchcock protegee and a former director of German horror films were teamed on the Universal lot — something severe and unrelenting, drenched in creeping morbidity and gloom. And that something, which Miss Joan Harrison and Robert Siodmak have evolved, is a little item called Phantom Lady, which came to Loew’s State yesterday.
We wish we could recommend it as a perfect combination of the styles of the eminent Mr. Hitchcock and the old German psychological films, for that is plainly and precisely what it tries very hard to be. It is full of the play of light and shadow, of macabre atmosphere, of sharply realistic faces and dramatic injections of sound. People sit around in gloomy places looking blankly and silently into space, music blares forth from empty darkness, and odd characters turn up and disappear. It is all very studiously constructed for weird and disturbing effects.
But, unfortunately, Miss Harrison and Mr. Siodmak forgot one basic thing — they forgot to provide their picture with a plausible, realistic plot.
For Monday, we have a mysterious Back of the Head Woman.
Update: This is Fay Helm.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery woman. She does not approve of such goings-on. What are the goings-on? That is the mystery!
Update: This is Aurora Miranda.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and mysterious Back of the Head Woman), Robert Morrissey (mystery movie), Bob Hansen (mystery movie and mystery cast), Suzanne Stone (mystery movie and mysterious Back of the Head Woman), Jenny M. (mystery movie and mysterious Back of the Head Woman), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and mysterious Back of the Head Woman), Megan and Thom (mystery movie and mysterious Back of the Head Woman), Matt Berger (mystery movie) and Blackwing Jenny (mystery movie and mysterious Back of the Head Woman).
Note to Sylvia: You’re right!
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have a mystery fellow.
Update: This is Andrew Tombes.
Brain Trust roll call: Jenny M. (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Howard Mandelbaum (Tuesday’s mystery woman), incredibleinman (mystery movie), Mike Hawks (Tuesday’s mystery woman) and Sheila (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery woman).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have this mysterious gentleman.
Update: This is Thomas Gomez.
And we have this mystery fellow. He is a real gone cat. So to speak.
This is Elisha Cook Jr.
Brain Trust roll call: Jenny M. (Wednesday’s mystery bartender), Megan and Thom (Tuesday’s mysterious singer and Wednesday’s mystery bartender), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery bartender), Sylvia E. (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Blackwing Jenny (Wednesday’s mysterious bartender) and Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery bartender).
For Friday, we have a mystery fellow.
Update: This is Franchot Tone.
And we have a mystery woman.
Update: This is Ella Raines.
Finally, we have Back of the Head Woman and a mysterious companion at the beginning of an interesting evening.
Update: This is Fay Helm and Alan Curtis.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie and all mystery guests), L.C., rescued from the spam filter (mystery movie and mystery cast), Beach Gal (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Sylvia E. (Thursday’s mystery guests, mysterious dubbing drummer and Friday’s mystery guests), Funky PhD (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guests), Megan and Thom (Thursday’s mystery guests), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie), McDee (Thursday’s mystery guest No. 1), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests), Anne Papineau (mystery movie and Thursday’s psycho drummer), Benito (mystery movie, Monday’s, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests) and Roget-L.A. (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests).
ladailymirror.com 
Fay Helm in “Phantom Lady” (1944)
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Audrey Hepburn
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A good guess, but alas….
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I’m thinking Phantom Lady, from 1944.
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I think it’s Phantom Lady (1944), Universal, directed by Robert Siodmak, and starring Ella Raines, Alan Curtis (?) and Elisha Cook.
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Janis Paige in The Younger Brothers.
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Alas, no Janis Paige this week….
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“Phantom Lady” (1944) with Fay Helm wearing the duplicate feathered hat.
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Fay Helm in Phantom Lady.
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Matango: Attack of the Mushroom People? Actually looks more like a salad.
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Fay Helm in PHANTOM LADY.
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I believe our movie is Phantom Lady, and our guest today is Fay Helm.
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PHANTOM LADY, right? Scott Henderson’s missing alibi…
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My guess is that Howard will know who the BOTHW is and the name of the movie probably by tomorrow, but no later than Wednesday.
My only other guess is that the film is from the 40s.
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Fay Helm is the “Phantom Lady”!
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Aurora Miranda
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Aurora Miranda
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“Phantom Lady” just popped into my head for some reason.
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Aurora Miranda.
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Ella Raines and Aurora Miranda, ‘Phantom Lady’?
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Andrew Tombes
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The mystery performer for Tuesday was Aurora Miranda and today’s bartender is Andrew Tombes.
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Andrew Tombes.
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“Phantom Lady” 1944
No particular ‘thanks to’ moment this time. Just started looking for “Carmen Miranda lookalikes” because of the hat and bumped into her sister.
What a story – millions of hats! Anyhoo:
Monday – Fay Helm (I think)
Tuesday – Aurora Miranda
Wednesday – Andrew Tombes (I think)
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Wednesday’s sweatin’ bartender is Andrew Tombes.
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Andrew Tombes
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Ah, you’re tying in with the Palm Springs Film Noir Fest. I had forgotten about the hats in this film, PHANTOM LADY. Ella Raines as BOTH woman Monday, Aurora Miranda Tuesday, Andrew Tombes Wednesday, and Thomas Gomez and Elisha Cook Jr. as a wacked out drummer today.
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Phantom Lady (1944) w/Franchot Tone, Ella Raines, Aurora Miranda, Elisha Cook Jr, Thomas Gomez, Fay Helm, Alan Curtis…
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Thurs – Thomas Gomez and Elisha Cook Jr.
Movie is Phantom Lady
Tues is Aurora Miranda
Wed is Andrew Tombes
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Monday’s “hat lady” is Fay Helm
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Thursday – Thomas Gomez and Elisha Cook Jr.
Saw a note that Buddy Rich did the drumming for Cook.
Friday should bring the leads: Ella Raines, Franchot Tone and Alan Curtis.
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Thursday’s mysterious gentleman is Thomas Gomez, and the gone cat is Elisha Cook, Jr. Movie is “Phantom Lady,” with Ella Raines on Monday, Aurora Miranda on Tuesday, and Andrew Tombes as Wednesday’s bartender.
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Thomas Gomez; Elisha Cook, Jr.
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Today’s mystery gentlemen are Thomas Mitchell and Elisha Cook, Jr.
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I knew you were trying to tell us something with that feathery hat, but the hint was to a phantom lady I couldn’t conjure up.
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Thomas Gomez on Thursday.
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Thomas Gomez and Elisha Cook, Jr.
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Elisha Cook Jr. in “Phantom Lady”
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I spy Aurora Miranda (Carmen’s sis), Thomas Gomez and way over the top Elisha Cook Jr in PHANTOM LADY 1944. Lovely Ella Raines up next
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Thursday: Thomas Gomez and Elisha Cook Jr. in Phantom Lady (1944)
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Franchot Tone with odd looking hands, Ella Raines, Fay Helm and Alan Curtis.
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Fri – #1 is Franchot Tone
Fri – #2 is Ella Raines
Fri – #3 are Fay Helm and Alan Curtis
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Friday – Franchot Tone, Ella Raines (and hat), at the ‘sad’ bar, Fay Helm and Alan Curtis.
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Ella Raines, Franchot Tone, Fay Helm and Alan Curtis.
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Franchot Tone; Ella Raines; Fay Helm, Alan Curtis
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That review certainly gave away the plot!
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