“The Mystery of the 13th Guest” (1943) / Z-View

The Mystery of the 13th Guest (1943)

Director: William Beaudine

Screenwriter: Tim Ryan, Charles R. Marion, Arthur Hoerl based on THE 13TH GUEST by Armitage Trail

Cast: Helen Parrish, Dick Purcell, Bill Pullman, Dean Norris, Mik Scriba, J.T. Walsh, Herb Mitchell and Bill Nunn.

Tagline: IT’S MURDER! An Unseen terror holds an entire family in fear!

The Plot…

When Marie Morgan was eight years old she attended a gathering called by her dying grandfather.  In attendance were Marie’s aunts, uncles, cousins and her grandfather’s lawyer.  Grandfather tells everyone that Marie is to return on her 21st birthday by herself to read his will.  It’s clear that Grandpa doesn’t much care for any of them except Marie.

Thirteen years have passed.  Marie returns to the old house.  It hasn’t been lived in for over a decade.  As Marie thinks back she remembers that there was an empty seat next to her grandpa.  Twelve people were in attendance.  She wonders who the empty seat was for.  Marie opens the sealed will.  As she does someone enters the house and a gunshot is fired.

When the police arrive they find Marie dead… but not from a gunshot.  But wait, that’s not really Marie.  And now another person who was at the original meeting is found in his seat murdered!

How many will die before the Mystery of the 13th Guest is discovered?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

The Mystery of the 13th Guest is a low budget quickie typical of many “B” pictures of the era.  It’s directed by William “One Shot” Beaudine who knocked out over 400 films during his career.  They didn’t call him “one shot” for nothing.  If you’ve seen a Bowery Boys flick, odds are you’ve seen his work.

If you know what you’re getting going in, and you have an hour to kill, you won’t be disappointed.

The Mystery of the 13th Guest (1943) rates 2 of 5 stars.