Seven Keys to Baldpate ** (1929, Richard Dix, Miriam Seegar, Margaret Livingston) – Classic Movie Review 9212

Director Reginald Barker’s 1929 RKO Radio Pictures mystery thriller Seven Keys to Baldpate is the rudimentary, halting fourth (and first sound) version of nine movies of this famous Earl Derr Biggers tale of a writer (played by Richard Dix) who goes off to a room at the quiet Baldpate inn to try to finish his novel in 24 hours.

But of course spooky events and a motley assortment of individuals conspire to stop things running smoothly.

The camera hardly moves in this early talkie, but to compensate, there is Edward Cronjager’s moody photography and Max Rée’s imaginative art direction.

Also in the cast are Miriam Seegar, Margaret Livingston, Joseph Allen Sr, Lucien Littlefield, DeWitt Jennings, Nella Walker, Carleton Macy, Alan Roscoe, Crauford Kent and Harvey Clark.

The screenplay by Jane Murfin is based on the play by showman George M Cohan (Yankee Doodle Dandy) from the novel by Earl Derr Biggers.

It opened as the Christmas treat on 25 December 1929 in the US.

Seven Keys to Baldpate is directed by Reginald Barker, runs 72 minutes, is made and released by RKO Radio Pictures, is written by Jane Murfin (adaptation), based on the play by George M Cohan and the novel by Earl Derr Biggers, is shot in black and white by Edward Cronjager, is produced by Louis J Sarecky, scored by Roy Webb and designed by Max Rée.

It was remade in 1935 as Seven Keys to Baldpate, in 1947 as Seven Keys to Baldpate and in 1983 as House of the Long Shadows and again in 1986 as Haunted Honeymoon.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9212

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