This week’s mystery movie was the 1949 film Lost Boundaries, with Beatrice Pearson, Mel Ferrer, Susan Douglas, the Rev Robert H. Dunn, Richard Hylton, Grace Coppin, Carleton Carpenter, Seth Arnold, Wendell Holmes, Parker Fennelly, Ralph Riggs, William Greaves, Rai Saunders, Leigh Whipper, Morton Stevens, Maurice Ellis, Alexander Campbell, Edwin Cooper, Royal Beal and Canada Lee.

Based on William L. White’s document of a New Hampshire Family.

Screen adaptation by Charles Palmer.

Screenplay by Virginia Shaler and Eugene Ling.

Additional Dialogue by Maxime Furlaud and Ormonde de Kay.

Art direction by Herbert Andrews.

Chief film editor David Kummins.

Edited by Angelos Ross.

Sound by Hugh McDowell.

Assistant directors George Ackerson, Horace Hough and John Gerstad.

Makeup by Fred Ryle.

United manager Percy Ikerd.

Head grip William Nallon.

Chief electrician Arthur Maher.

Properties Fred Ballmeyer.

Associate producers Borden Mace and Lothar Wolff.

Musical score by Louis Applebaum.

Musical director Jack Shaindlin.

Additional songs by Albert Johnston Jr., Herbert E. Taylor and Carleton Carpenter.

Photography by William J. Miller.

Directed by Alfred L. Werker.

Further information on the remarkable history of Lost Boundaries is available from the AFI Catalog.

Lost Boundaries is available on DVD from Critics’ Choice Video.

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As I noted Monday, I picked Lost Boundaries on the basis of a recommendation by Bosley Crowther (no, we’re not in touch from the great beyond. He said so in a year-end wrapup of exceptional films) and Bosley did not disappoint. There is much to recommend Lost Boundaries: strong performances, a compelling story line and an all-around distinguished production on what was apparently a small budget. Definitely worth watching if you get a chance.

This is a 2020 discussion after a showing of Lost Horizons by the Maine Historical Society.

Bosley Crowther said (The New York Times, July 1, 1949):

One of the many bitter aspects of racism in our land — the in-between isolation of the Negro who tries to “pass” as white — is exposed with extraordinary courage, understanding and dramatic power in the new film Lost Boundaries, which opened at the Astor yesterday. Viewed as emotional entertainment, as social enlightenment or both, it is one of the most effective pictures that we are likely to have this year.

For Monday, we have a mysterious fellow.

Update: This is Morton Stevens.

A note about this week’s mystery movie: Because the Internet Archive is down, making Lantern unusable, I decided to get a recommendation from Bosley Crowther. He liked this mysterious movie.

For Tuesday, we have a mysterious scholar.

Update: This is Emory Richardson.

For “Hm Wednesday,” we have this mysterious fellow.

Update: This is Maurice Ellis.

We also have this mystery fellow.

Update: This is Rai Saunders (Sanders).

Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie).

For “Aha Thursday,” we have this mystery woman.

Update: This is Susan Douglas.

We also have this mysterious fellows.

Update: This is Canada Lee, left, and Richard Hylton.

Note to Sylvia; You’re on the right track!

For Friday, we have a mysterious couple.

Update: This is Mel Ferrer and Beatrice Pearson.

Brain Trust roll call: Megan and Thom (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Mary Mallory (mystery movie, Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests), Sylvia E. (mystery movie and all mystery guests) and Mike Hawks (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery man No. 2).