This week’s mystery movie was the 1950 MGM film Crisis, with Cary Grant, Jose Ferrer, Paula Raymond, Signe Hasso, Ramon Novarro, Gilbert Roland and Leon Ames.
Screenplay by Richard Brooks.
Based on a story by George Tabori.
Music by Miklos Rozsa.
Played by Vicente Gomez, guitar soloist.
Photographed by Ray June.
Art direction by Cedric Gibbons and Preston Ames.
Edited by Robert J. Kern.
Recording supervisor Douglas Shearer.
Set decorations by Edwin B. Willis and Hugh Hunt.
Special effects by A. Arnold Gillespie and Warren Newcombe.
Hairstyles by Sydney Guilaroff.
Makeup by Jack Dawn.
Produced by Arthur Freed.
Directed by Richard Brooks.
Further information on Crisis is available from the AFI Catalog.
Crisis is available on DVD from Critics’ Choice Video.
::
I picked Crisis by going through the trades and it sounded interesting. A Cary Grant film I’ve never heard of, produced by Arthur Freed, with Jose Ferrer, Gilbert Roland and Ramon Novarro. Crisis is a message film and very much of its era. In a trivia note, Crisis is a second film in which Grant’s character is kidnapped, along with the much better-known North by Northwest.
I’m guessing Bosley Crowther gave the film low marks or passed it off onto one of the “alphabet critics.”
He did not like it (The New York Times, July 4, 1950):
A pretty tough spot for a doctor — and for Cary Grant, playing same — is laid out for sober contemplation in a moderately entertaining way in Metro’s new melodrama, Crisis, which came to the Capitol yesterday. This spot, not enjoyed by the doctor, is the necessity of operating on the brain of a Latin American tyrant by whom he is held in virtual bond and for whom he has nothing but loathing, considering the patient’s tyrannies. Produced with less generous indulgence of acting and technical skill, this obviously fantastic fiction would probably be laughed off the screen, assuming it got any further than an action-house double bill. For it is such a pulp magazine story in every perceptible way — in plot. in incident, in spirit and even in the sentiments phrased — that it might better have made a fast adventure of a “quickie” hero in some fanciful wilds.
For Monday, our mysterious leading man is about to give someone a shot.
Update: This surgeon on the right is Cary Grant.
For Tuesday, we have a mysterious guitarist.
Update: This is Vicente Gomez.
Brain Trust roll call: Sylvia (mystery movie and Monday’s mysterious surgeon).
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have a mysterious officer.
Update: This is Ramon Novarro, right.
And a mystery woman.
Update: This is Signe Hasso.
Brain Trust roll call: Sarah (mystery movie and Monday’s mysterious surgeon), L.C. (mystery movie and mysterious cast), Stacia (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery surgeon and Tuesday’s mysterious guitarist) and Sylvia (Tuesday’s mysterious guitarist).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have a mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Leon Ames.
And a variety of familiar and unfamiliar mysterious guests.
Update: This is Gilbert Roland, right.
Brain Trust roll call: B.J. Merholz (mystery movie and Monday’s mysterious surgeon) and Sylvia (Wednesday’s mystery guests).
For Friday, we have a mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Jose Ferrer.
And our mystery leading lady and leading man, an early adopter of the Church of SubGenius.
Update: This is Paula Raymond and Cary Grant.
Brain Trust roll call: Megan and Thom (mystery movie with mysterious cast), Mary Mallory (mystery movie, Monday’s mysterious surgeon and Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests), Greg (mystery movie and Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mysterious guests), Sylvia (Thursday’s mysterious guests), Suz N Chaz (mystery movie, Monday’s, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mysterious guests and enigmatic director), and Chrisbo (mystery movie, Monday’s mysterious surgeon and Thursday’s mystery guests).
ladailymirror.com 
Even behind surgical masks we’d never get Olivia de Havilland and Robert Mitchum on a Monday.
LikeLike
Did Cary Grant ever play a doctor?
I’ll go on the hunt.
LikeLike
Hunt for the day is over. Grant was in more than one movie as a doctor.
I’ll start with “Crisis” 1950, which I had never heard of. The story is a little “noir-like” and the image here has a “some other country” feeling to it.
I think Cary Grant is our surgeon, but no guesses on anyone else.
LikeLike
Can’t believe I found it. It’s Crisis (1950) with Cary Grant.
LikeLike
Crisis (1950) w/Cary Grant, Paula Raymond, Jose Ferrer, Ramon Novarro, Leon Ames, Signe Hasso, Gilbert Roland, Vicente Gomez…
LikeLike
Okay Tuesday must be Vincente Gomez (I played Spanish/Classical guitar for years as a kid and my teacher had a red Decca album of his down in his music basement which I saw every week during lessons. Since I was 98% sure that was Cary Grant on the right in Monday’s photo, I’ll say this is CRISIS, but I’ve never seen it and can’t find a streaming copy. Also the nurse on Monday looks like Lillian Adams, and if I’d remembered her name I would have guessed CRISIS before Sr. Gomez made an appearance!
LikeLike
Oops, it’s Vicente Gomez, I went to look up the album and realized I spelled his name wrong.
LikeLike
Tuesday – Vicente Gomez
Have read some interesting stories about director Richard Brooks and this being his first feature film. How he got Grant to be in the picture. How having Grant say yes, it allowed him to be the director. How an accident on set (maybe or maybe not accidental according to Brooks) almost took him out as director and how Grant got him to go to the hospital. How he had to step back when his crew knew better than he did.
LikeLike
Not Mitchum but Grant at a critical time on his career.
LikeLike
Wednesday – Ramon Navarro and Signe Hasso
LikeLike
Our movie is Crisis, with Leon Ames, Gilbert Roland, Signe Hasso, Ramon Novarro, and Cary Grant.
LikeLike
CRISIS. Cary Grant behind mask Monday, Ramon Novarro and Signe Hasso Wednesday, Leon Ames and Gilbert Roland today.
LikeLike
Vicente Gomez, Leon Ames, Ramon Novarro and Gilbert Roland in “Crisis”.
LikeLike
Thursday – Leon Ames
Gilbert Roland (#2 of 3 in our cast of former ‘Latin Lover’ silent film stars performing in this movie. Mr Navarro showed up yesterday.)
LikeLike
Monday Cary Grant as surgeon…Wednesday: Ramon Navarro….Signe Hasso…Thursday Leon Ames and Gilbert Roland. The movie is “Crisis” 1950 film directorial debut of Richard Brooks. Don’t know the guitarist!
LikeLike
Cary Grant, Leon Ames and Gilbert Roland in Crisis
LikeLike
JOose Ferrer, Ms. Raymond, and CG.
LikeLike
Friday – our mysterious dictator, Jose Ferrer in the first image.
Paula Raymond and Cary Grant in image 2.
Antonio Moreno is the #3 ‘Latin Lover’ from the silent days. He didn’t make the cut in mystery puzzle this week but there are several cute ‘behind the scenes’ photos of Moreno, Gilbert and Navarro together. Some photos also include Ms Hasso. Don’t know if she’s from the silent days, but I think when she’s included the ‘cute photo’ it may be more about the Spanish speaking secondary lead actors in this movie set in an unidentified Spanish speaking country (what a casting concept in 1950!). Fun puzzle.
LikeLike