Popular novelist George Washington Magee (George M. Cohan) accepts a bet to write an entire book in 24 hours. To find the peace and quiet to do so, he's given access to the Baldpate Inn, which is closed for the season. He's told that he's been given the sole key to the place, but as he sets out to get to work, one after another person enters the place, each up to some nefarious shenanigans.
This was based on Cohan's hit stage play version, but he and director Hugh Ford do a decent job of spreading out the action to keep it from getting too stage bound. The play must have been dialogue heavy, as there are a lot more intertitles used than the usual. Cohan is very good, funny and lively. This seems to have been a precursor/inspiration for the "old dark house" sub-genre of horror-mystery-comedies. I enjoyed it.
This was based on Cohan's hit stage play version, but he and director Hugh Ford do a decent job of spreading out the action to keep it from getting too stage bound. The play must have been dialogue heavy, as there are a lot more intertitles used than the usual. Cohan is very good, funny and lively. This seems to have been a precursor/inspiration for the "old dark house" sub-genre of horror-mystery-comedies. I enjoyed it.