Mystery Liner
Plot
Mystery Liner follows Detective Jim Landis (Noah Beery) as he boards the luxury ocean liner S.S. Southern Queen to investigate a series of mysterious deaths. When a wealthy passenger is found murdered in his cabin, Landis discovers that nearly everyone aboard had a motive for the crime. The confined space of the ship creates a claustrophobic atmosphere as the detective must work quickly before the ship reaches its destination and the killer can escape. As the investigation progresses, more passengers fall victim, and Landis must navigate a web of lies, secret identities, and hidden agendas. The film culminates in a dramatic confrontation where the true killer is revealed through clever deduction and unexpected plot twists.
About the Production
The film was shot in just 7 days, which was standard for Monogram's rapid production schedule. The ocean liner sets were reused from previous productions to save costs. The film was part of Monogram's attempt to compete with larger studios' mystery films despite their limited budget.
Making Of
The production of Mystery Liner was typical of Monogram Pictures' efficient but budget-conscious approach. William Nigh, who had directed films since 1913, was known for his ability to complete productions ahead of schedule. The cast worked long hours to complete the film in just one week, with many scenes requiring only one or two takes due to time constraints. Noah Beery, despite his star status, was known for his professionalism and willingness to work within the limitations of B-movie productions. The film's ocean liner setting was achieved through clever use of matte paintings and forced perspective techniques to create the illusion of a large ship. The sound recording was particularly challenging due to
Did You Know?
- Mystery Liner was one of over 100 films directed by William Nigh, who was known as a reliable workhorse director capable of completing films quickly and on budget.
- Noah Beery was one of the highest-paid character actors of his time, commanding $2,500 per week even for B-movies like this one.
- The ocean liner sets were originally built for the 1932 film The Lost Squadron and were repurposed for multiple productions.
- The film was released during the height of the 'old dark house' mystery genre popularity, though it transplanted the setting to a modern ocean liner.
- Astrid Allwyn, who played the female lead, was primarily known as a stage actress before transitioning to films.
- The film's screenplay was written by Robert F. Hill, who also directed numerous B-movies for Monogram.
- Despite its low budget, the film featured an unusually large cast of supporting actors, many of whom were regulars in Monogram productions.
- The film was part of a double bill with The Red Rider starring Buck Jones, a common practice for B-movies of the era.
- The ship's name in the film, S.S. Southern Queen, was fictional, though inspired by real luxury liners of the period.
- The film's original working title was Death on the High Seas before being changed to Mystery Liner.