This week’s mystery movie was the 1944 Republic picture The Lady and the Monster, with Vera Hruba Ralston, Richard Arlen, Erich von Stroheim, Helen Vinson, Mary Nash, Sidney Blackmer, Janet Martin, Bill Henry, Charles Cane, Juanita Quigley, Josephine Dillon and Antonio Triana and Lola Montes.

Screenplay by Dane Lussier and Frederick Kohner.

Based on the novel Donovan’s Brain by Curt Siodmak.

Photography by John Alton.

Music by Walter Scharf.

Orchestral arrangements by Marlin Skiles.

Edited by Arthur Roberts.

Sound by Earl Crain Sr.

Art direction by Russell Kimball.

Set decoration by Otto Siegel.

Gowns by Adele.

Special effects by Theodore Lydecker.

Associate producer George Sherman.

Directed by George Sherman.

Further information on The Lady and the Monster is available from the AFI Catalog.

The Lady and the Monster is available in a DVD set – PAL format – from Amazon. It also lurks on the Internet in questionable prints.

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I picked The Lady and the Monster by going through the trades. I recognized the title Donovan’s Brain from perusing pulp magazines like this one:

I suspect Bosley Crowther bypassed this movie and didn’t bother with fobbing it off on the alphabet critics.

Not quite. Research shows that it was reviewed by A.W. (probably Abe H. Weiler), who did not care for such goings-on (The New York Times, April 8, 1944):

Donovan’s Brain, the Curt Siodmak horror novel which was published to critical plaudits early last year, lost an intriguing title and a large portion of plausibility and pace in the chiller based upon it which arrived at the Rialto yesterday. This latest course in scientific mumbo jumbo titled The Lady and the Monster stems from the premise that a brain, once separated from its parent body and kept alive, may transmit its thought processes to humans via telepathy…. The truth is The Lady and the Monster is a mite too lethargic. In this case, Donovan’s brain probably could stand a shot of adrenalin.

Mary Mallory sends along a publicity still from the film, showing, from left: Herbert Yates, Vera Hruba Ralston, Erich von Stroheim and possibly R.G. Springsteen, assistant director.

For Tuesday, we have a mystery woman.

Update: This is Mary Nash.

For Wednesday, we have a mysterious brain. As unlikely as it may seem, it’s safe to say that the mystery brain does not approve of such goings-on.

Brain Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (Tuesday’s mysterious housekeeper), Bob Hansen (Tuesday’s enigmatic housekeeper) and Megan and Thom (Tuesday’s housekeeper of mystery).

For Thursday, we have a mysterious girl.

Update: This is Juanita Quigley.

Brain (ha ha ha) Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (mystery movie), and Thom and Megan (mystery movie).

For Friday, we have a mysterious fellow.

Update: This is Erich von Stroheim.

And this mysterious fellow.

Update: This is Richard Arlen.

Finally, a mystery woman.

Update: This is Vera Hruba Ralston.

Brain (ha ha ha) Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mystery girl), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie, and Tuesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests) and Jenny M. (mystery movie, and Tuesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests).