Mystery Street (1950)

The growing importance of forensic science in criminal investigations was effectively signalled in William Keighley's "The Street With No Name" (1948) but "Mystery Street" (1950) goes much further in illustrating how scientific methods can be used to learn everything about a crime that's already been committed and also a great deal about the probable culprit. The result is a fascinating police procedural in which an initially sceptical Boston cop comes to appreciate how helpful the new methods can be in solving even the most challenging of cases.Interestingly, the well-written plot doesn't try to entertain by providing a mystery to be worked out or a series of outrageous twists to be enjoyed but instead, begins by revealing absolutely everything about a cold-blooded murder and then following up with an absorbing account of the methods by which the killer is identified and brought to justice. Surprisingly, this unorthodox approach, which probably wouldn't be successful for most crime dramas, works really well in this case because of the nature of its story and the strength of its characters.Vivian Heldon (Jan Sterling) who works as a B-Girl in a Boston dive called "The Grass Skirt" has become increasingly desperate because she's broke, pregnant and two weeks in arrears with her rent. So when her wealthy lover, who has continuously been giving her the brush-off, fails to turn up for a date, she takes advantage of a very drunk young man who's sitting at the bar and offers to drive him home.Henry Shanaway (Marshall Thompson), whose wife is recuperating in hospital after having suffered a miscarriage, had been trying to drown his sorrows and in his confused state doesn't realise that he's actually being driven to Cape Cod. En route, Vivian telephones her lover to arrange a meeting near his home and when Henry sobers up enough to realise what's happened, Vivian tricks him into getting out of his car and leaves him stranded in the middle of the night in a very remote location. When she meets up with James Joshua Harkley (Edmon Ryan), he simply shoots her at point blank range, dumps her body in the ocean and her car in a nearby lake and then promptly leaves.Some months later, when part of a human skeleton is found on a beach at Cape Cod, Boston Police Lieutenant Peter Moralas (Ricardo Montalban) is assigned to the case and instructed to liaise with Dr McAdoo (Bruce Bennett) who works at Harvard's Department of Legal Medicine. The forensics expert is soon able to identify who the victim was and enquiries that Moralas makes enable him to establish that the car she left "The Grass Skirt" in, belonged to Henry. The evasive answers that Henry gives when he's interviewed by Moralas convince the detective, who's working on his first murder case, that he's found the killer and Henry is subsequently arrested and an early date is set for his trial.Further complications arise, however, when Dr McAdoo discovers how Vivian was killed and it becomes apparent that the murder weapon will have to be found in order to have any chance of convicting Henry.The quality of the acting is consistently good with Ricardo Montalban conveying Moralas' enthusiasm for his assignment after having been frustrated for so long by only being allowed to work on "small stuff". His character, who doesn't always display sound judgement, is likeable and shows commendable dignity when he's racially insulted or patronised and the scenes he shares with Bruce Bennett work particularly well. The real showstopper, however, is the wonderfully eccentric Elsa Lanchester as Vivian's landlady, Mrs Smerrling. This despicable, money-grabbing interfering alcoholic, not only steals Vivian's belongings but also twice attempts to blackmail the killer and disrupts the police investigation in various ways, including by stealing the murder weapon!"Mystery Street" provides a good account of how a combination of traditional police work and the work of scientists can achieve impressive results and also realistically highlights the differing natures of the types of men who work in each of these disciplines. The quality of the screenplay ensures that the drama remains entertaining and fast-moving throughout and John Alton's cinematography is exquisite right from the start with some striking scenes set in Vivian's rooming house where the shadow compositions on the staircase and in the hall are magnificent.

This one really knocked me out. The screenplay is so tight. There is nothing unbelievable. The characters are all interesting and then there is Elsa Lanchester perfectly understanding how to make the most of every second. Ricardo Montalban was such a fine actor. He deserved a much better movie career. Then to see people like Jan Sterling and Betsy Blair in such good roles and offering such solid performances is such a pleasure. We kept saying, "This is Law and Order!" And what complement could be greater only this came about 40 years earlier. Of course you know it will have a satisfying ending but you won't believe the roller coaster ride you are given first. And Boston!!! When has that city ever been given such prominence. The movie is a knockout. Not a wasted second. How did this one get away? Masterpiece is overused but this is one.

Though the script is B-grade, the terrific cast and cinematography make "Mystery Street" a fun movie to watch. The story lacks depth and substantive twists, and the fractured plot suggests a weak structure. Focus oscillates back and forth among a number of characters. As a result, viewers come away with a sense that the film is an ensemble piece when in fact it isn't.Jan Sterling is well cast as Vivian, a young, blonde hussy who is in trouble with the wrong people. The great Elsa Lanchester provides grotesque comic relief as the dithering but nervy Mrs. Smerrling, Vivian's smarmy, slithery landlady who's very fond of money. And Ricardo Montalban is surprisingly good as Morales, a novice Boston detective trying to solve a murder. Part of the plot provides a good account of then-current forensic science, as Morales pieces together detailed biological clues.Gorgeous B&W photography makes this film quite atmospheric. Off-kilter angles in some scenes, shadows, silhouettes, a forced perspective, along with Gothic set decoration render interesting visuals. I especially liked those scenes that contain mostly blackness punctuated with bits of light. The look and feel is very 1940s, with scenes at a seedy rooming house, a tawdry bar called the Grass Skirt, and sleazy music to match.The main reason I chose to watch this film is because of the mystery genre and the casting of wonderful Elsa Lanchester. The "mystery" was a tad disappointing, but Elsa was sheer delight."Mystery Street" contains a story that is acceptable if not first rate. But the cast and B&W noir visuals are terrific, making this an above-average film, one I would recommend.

RICARDO MONTALBAN is thoroughly convincing as a detective who has to solve a baffling murder when a woman (JAN STERLING) disappears suddenly in Cape Cod. Turns out she was a prostitute, so there's a long list of possible suspects, the chief one being an innocent man (MARSHALL THOMPSON) who is wrongly accused of the crime.BRUCE BENNETT is effective as a professor at Harvard Medical School who is able to obtain some clues from the skeletal remains washed up on the beach. SALLY FORREST is fine as the accused man's wife who never believes he could have committed the crime but isn't sure about his infidelity. And ELSA LANCHESTER just about walks off with any scene she's in as a batty landlady who turns out to be too greedy for her own good.With its shadowy, low-key lighting and film noir atmosphere, it's a fast-moving story well paced by John Sturgess who keeps the tale taut and tense enough throughout, only slowing a little toward the ending.Well worth watching, a surprisingly noirish melodrama full of gritty moments not usually found in the glossier sort of films MGM was more famous for.