Fri 27 Nov 2009
A Movie Review by Walter Albert: K — THE UNKNOWN (1924).
Posted by Steve under Mystery movies , Reviews , Silent films[4] Comments
K — THE UNKNOWN. Universal, 1924. Virginia Valli, Percy Marmont, Margarita Fisher, John Roche, Maurice Ryan, Francis Feeny. Screenplay by Louis D. Lighton and Hope Loring, from the novel “K” by Mary Roberts Rinehart. Director: Harry A. Pollard. Shown at Cinecon 40, Hollywood CA, September 2004.
The credit for Mary Roberts Rinehart took fellow attendee John Apostolou and me by surprise, since neither of us had ever heard of the source novel. The St. James reference guide includes the 1915 publication not with Rinehart’s crime novels, but with her “Other Publications,” although if the screen version is at all faithful to the original novel it is, like much of Rinehart’s work, a romantic suspense drama.
It draws on Rinehart’s early career as a nurse and her skill at dealing with small-town settings (with no use of “rube” humor as claimed in tile program notes) into which she injects a generous dollop of melodrama that centers around a mysterious stranger (Marmont) who is in love with Sidney (Valli), his landlady’s niece, also the object of affection of two adolescents and a famous doctor, the pride of the local hospital.
Both the stranger and the doctor have secrets, as does the doctor’s chief assistant (Margarita Fisher), and at least one of them is capable of murder.
This entertaining film succeeds thanks to its good cast and intelligent direction, and some fine photography that the American Film Index credits attribute to Charles Stumar.
Stumar would remain at Universal into the 1930s when he would be principal photographer on The Werewolf of London, The Mummy, and The Raven (1935 version).
Both John and I thought this was a genuine “sleeper.”
Editorial Comment: For what it’s worth, the novel “K” is not included in the Revised Crime Fiction IV, by Allen J. Hubin, not even with a dash. Is this an error? I shall ask and find out.
November 28th, 2009 at 1:04 am
It can be hard to read a Rinehart novel if you ever read Ogden Nash’s ‘Had I But Known,’ still there was a reason she was a bestselling writer in her day, and a some of the books hold up better than might be expected. I would at least suggest The Man in Lower 10 as her best mix of detective and suspense novel.
With a writer as prolific as Rinehart it can be hard to keep up with her total output. If the book is like the film though it sounds as if it might merit a dash. Still, while it may be an ideal for Crime Fiction to be as inclusive as possible crime and suspense are such common factors half the books written since the 20th Century must at least merit a dash.
November 28th, 2009 at 1:45 am
You’re right. There are books which are crime fiction and those that aren’t. Then there’s all the “in betweeners,” and those are the ones that will drive you crazy.
That’s why Al always gets the call. He has his dividing line, and over the years I think he’s become awfully consistent with it.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
This movie sounds fascinating!
Thank you for the review.
“K” is a Rinehart book I’ve never read. I always thought it was strictly mainstream – but who knows!
Rinehart is a huge favorite here. I love her mysteries, and her humorous stories about Tish.
Her mainstream collection LOVE STORIES is mainly nurse-and-hospital fiction, and is pretty enjoyable.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Mike
I have a feeling that the movie may have played up the “suspense” aspect as far as “K” is concerned, and that book is only another one of those nurse-and-hospital love stories.
I haven’t heard back from Al Hubin yet, but I’m sure this isn’t a book that would have escaped his notice if it were even marginally crime fiction.
Still, you never know, until you have a copy in your hands to read. Which — and it has just occurred to me to check — is very easily done. It’s online at
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/9931
and guess what? It’s labeled as “Mystery Fiction.”