Thanks for the memories!

Good movie but grossly overrated

A Masterpiece!

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

It's a foggy night. A man with an umbrella enters a London shop. Loud threats are heard and the shopkeeper disappears. A note is found that reads PAY OR BE SEEN NO MORE. The plot is forgettable but this sleek mystery-comedy from MGM is about as smooth as 1930s B movies get. Reporter George Murphy sticks his nose into the missing person case and tangles with Scotland Yard man George Zucco and rich girl Rita Johnson. Everything happens very quickly: Murphy sees a man with an umbrella climbing in a window, so he follows him in and tackles him in the hall. Turns out the intruder is Rita Johnson's butler and next thing you know Murphy and Johnson are exchanging silly dialog:Johnson: "Frankly, I'm disappointed in you, Mr. Dennis. You've been on this case almost two hours, and what have you done besides attacking my poor butler?" Murphy: "I've met you."George Zucco is fun to watch as a detective instead of the villain for once; he and Murphy enjoy the typical friendly inspector-reporter rivalry. Virginia Field has a colorful role as a barmaid. Leo G. Carroll as the butler is also worth keeping an eye on. There's a bit of suspense but nothing too intense--and certainly more comedy than mystery. Unpretentious fun.

Nothing in this MGM B-Movie Works. The Mystery is Blown in the First Five Minutes with Some Very Bad Make-Up and the Bad Make-Up is Used for Two Other Characters Before this Really Bad Movie Concludes.The Acting is Atrocious by All Except the Dog and Even He Cannot Match His Prototype from The Thin Man Series. Everything Here is Overcooked and Insufferable. The Characters are Stereotypical to the Extreme and the Film, Shot on the Back-Lot, Looks Confined, Stagy, and Hardly Atmospheric.George Murphy is a Hammy Bore, the Bar-Maid Will Have You Rolling Your Eyes or Running Out of the Room, and the Usually Reliable George Zucco and Leo G. Carroll are Trying Hard to Make Things Interesting but to No Avail. It's Perhaps One of the Worst Movies Ever Made with the MGM Logo.

London By Night (1937) ** (out of 4)Mystery film from MGM has London being stalked by a mad killer who uses an umbrella as his disguise to prevent being seen. A local reporter (George Murphy) links up with a rich woman (Rita Johnson) to try and figure out who the mysterious figure is. Apparently the working title of this film was THE UMBRELLA MAN was the working title for this film and that probably would have fit it a lot better. I've seen so many mysteries like this over the years to the point where I'm feeling there aren't too many out there left for me to watch. This one here is about middle ground as there's nothing too bad but there's nothing too good either. The one thing the director does get right is the atmosphere as the film has a very dark and fog filled look to it. This here is a major plus as is the casting of George Zucco in the role of a good guy. You don't get to see that very often so it was nice to see it here. He's pretty good in the role as is Virginia Field and Leo G. Carroll in their parts. I wasn't too interested in either league, which was one of the film's faults and I'd also say the identity of the killer was given away rather early even though the "secret" is held to the end. I think most will be able to figure things out. If, like me, you've seen the majority of these types of movies then you might as well check this one out as well. If you haven't seen too many of what the genre has to offer then there are many others you should check out before catching this one of TCM.

Here is a film that brought waves of nostalgia to an old movie buff who usually never forgets a film but often cannot remember the titles of something I have not seen in 50 years. I viewed it by chance on TCM and as soon as I saw the Umbrella Man I knew it was an old favorite from childhood. I am constantly drawn to any film about London and this was no exception. It contains much of the usual elements of period London, the constant fog, Big Ben, elegant town house, eerie Thames River, bumbling police, pub, two lovely ladies and a semi-comical newspaper man protagonist. However it was the bone-chilling Umbrella Man that made the indelible imprint on my young mind years ago. Now the film seems silly and outdated and not the least bit scary, oh but what fun to see again. The film contained credible performances with a somewhat predictable plot. With a little bit of rewriting and a skilled director I think this film would be a great candidate for a serious remake.