Someone at the Door (1936)
When two siblings, Sally and Ronnie, inherit an old house their friend concocts a plan involving the murder of the Sally to ensure they get the will proceeds as hard cash rather than the house itself. Sally hides away in a hidden cellar and the police are informed she's missing. However Sally discovers a cache of loot in the cellar and the crooks return intent on getting it back at any cost.
A rattling good comical old dark house yarn that was based on a stage play. Someone at the Door plays like an old farce where everyone is having a lark. John Itwin who plays Bill, the instigator of the nefarious plan, has a ball leading the police on and the comedy aspects are never too far away in the script. However the film also works as a creepy old house movie with dingy cellars, hidden rooms and things that go bump in the night. American actor Noah Beery playing on of the crooks adds malevolence to proceedings as the tone shifts in the final third with some rather sadistic (for it's time) torture involving cigarettes and eye balls.
I really enjoyed this film. It's something a bit different to the norm and well worth a purchase. I should add that for an unknown 1936 British film the restoration from Network is immaculate. (In fact it's so unknown i can't find a movie poster for it on Google to show below).
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