Jeremy Arnold Presents THE PREVIEW MURDER MYSTERY

ABOUT THE FILM:

Someone is murdering the cast and crew of a new Hollywood movie, and the leading lady (Gail Patrick) may be next. As a police detective locks down the lot and refuses to let anyone leave, the studio’s publicity head (Reginald Denny) and his secretary (Frances Drake) attempt to solve the murders themselves. Director Robert Florey keeps this rarely-screened Paramount B film moving along at lightning pace, blending drama, suspense, Hollywood satire and witty dialogue into an entertaining whole. Shot by legendary cinematographer Karl Struss (Metropolis) and filmed on the Paramount lot, the studio settings and equipment are used so inventively that the result is one of the most realistic and unpretentious depictions of moviemaking in the era. The presence of several silent stars in bit parts, such as Jack Mulhall, Bryant Washburn, Franklyn Farnum and Hank Mann, only adds to the feeling of authenticity.

Program notes by Jeremy Arnold

FORMAT: 35mm

DISTRIBUTOR: Universal

COUNTRY: USA