The Mystery of Mr X *** (1934, Robert Montgomery, Elizabeth Allen, Lewis Stone, Ralph Forbes) – Classic Movie Review 12,166

The carefully made, involving 1934 thriller movie The Mystery of Mr X is a serial killer story, written and filmed before the term serial killer was coined.

Director Edgar Selwyn’s 1934 black and white movie The Mystery of Mr X is a carefully made, involving minor vintage thriller, and it is very good of its humble kind. It stars Robert Montgomery, Elizabeth Allen, Lewis Stone, and Ralph Forbes. It is a serial killer story, written and filmed before the term serial killer was coined.

Based on the novel X v. Rex, aka Mystery of the Dead Police, by Philip MacDonald, it is the slickly handled tale of a smooth jewel burglar (Robert Montgomery) who, wrongly accused of murder, redeems himself by trying to catch the murderer who has dubbed himself in signed notes Mr X (Leonard Mudie), a notorious crazed serial killer of London policemen.

The Mystery of Mr X is well produced by MGM and nicely acted, especially by Montgomery. The fog-shrouded London streets add to the considerable tension.

The cast are Robert Montgomery as Nicholas Revel, Elizabeth Allan as Jane Frensham, Lewis Stone as Supt. Connor, Ralph Forbes as Sir Christopher Marche, Henry Stephenson as Sir Herbert Frensham, Forrester Harvey as Joseph Horatio Palmer, Ivan F Simpson as Hutchinson, Leonard Mudie as Mr X, Alec B Francis as Judge Malpas, Charles Irwin as Willis, and Claude King as Cummings.

It is written by Howard Emmett Rogers and Monckton Hoffe (additional dialogue) and based on the 1933 novel X v. Rex [aka Mystery of the Dead Police] by Philip MacDonald under the pen name Martin Porlock and was remade in 1952 as The Hour of 13.

It runs 84 minutes.

It was released by MGM on 23 February 1934.

The Mystery of Mr X is directed by Edgar Selwyn, runs 84 minutes, is made and released by MGM, is written by Howard Emmett Rogers (screenplay), Philip MacDonald (adaptation) and Monckton Hoffe (additional dialogue), based on the novel X v. Rex, aka Mystery of the Dead Police, by Philip MacDonald, is shot in black and white by Oliver T Marsh, is produced by Lawrence Weingarten, is scored by William Axt, and is designed by Merrill Pye.

London born Philip MacDonald was one of the most popular mystery writers of the 1930s. He moved to Hollywood in 1931 and up to 1963 wrote many screenplays plus some radio and TV scripts.

Philip MacDonald wrote three novels as Martin Porlock, the last of which is X v. Rex (1933) (aka The Mystery of Mr X and Mystery of the Dead Police). Serialised in American newspapers as Who Killed C*ck Robin Hoode?. it was republished as Mystery of the Dead Police by Philip MacDonald as Pocket Books #70, 1940. It is an early example of what has become known as serial killer novels before the term serial killer was coined.

Philip MacDonald’s best-known novel is The List of Adrian Messenger, filmed as The List of Adrian Messenger in 1963.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,166

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