User reviews

I'm not that familiar with the mystery genre or era (1930s) at all, but I quite liked this murder mystery. Some old guy gets bumped off during a fancy dress party and stuffed in a cupboard, and it's up to the police and a smug murder mystery writer to figure out who the culprit was. Was it the spoiled granddaughter and her boyfriend? Or the secretary and his wife? Or the housekeeper? Or the old business partner? The police try and find out the only way they know – by cornering people in the house and barking rapid fire questions at them for the entire first half of the film. This sounds boring but it kind of got me all fired up too, so much so that I started firing rapid questions at my wife. Where's my dinner? Why don't you shut those kids up? Why are coming towards me with that knife?

It's all pretty brisk stuff as the writer guy snoops around and generally acts like a total pain as he tries to rumble the perp. As this film was made in the 1800s it's not full of blood and gore and sex as we've all come to expect, what with being brought up on Fulci films, but for a glimpse into a by-gone age (30BC) I thought Green Eyes was charming and I'll tip my hat to it.

Are there stand out films of this type? I'd like to know. The Pre-Cambrian explosion mystery film intrigues me.

This somewhat less than rewarding production is based closely upon a novel by Harriette Ashbrook: "The Murder Of Steven Kester", to a point of its inclusion of substantial swatches of Ashbrook's stilted dialogue, but since the original book remains safely confined within a rather narrow spectrum of sleuthing utilized by the English writer, it can be no surprise that the film is also dull and generally predictable. Action opens briskly with assistant director Melville Shyer, who also contributes the script, effectively leading a congregation of extras during a lively costume party sequence, this festivity organized at the home of wealthy Steven Kester by his granddaughter Jean (Shirley Grey) as a diversion to facilitate her unobstructed elopement with beau Cliff Miller (William Bakewell). Here the pace of the film begins to flag as journeyman director Richard Thorpe mishandles the tempo following discovery of Steven Kester's corpse, decorated with stab wounds, and a homicide investigation then begins under the supervision of Captain (or Chief, at times Inspector) Crofton (John Wray) who fails to acknowledge any recognizable form of correct investigative police procedures as he browbeats a large contingent of available suspects. Needless to report, many of these latter have apparent motives to have committed the slaying, and if Crofton neglects one of them, a meddlesome crime novelist, Michael Tracy (Charles Starrett), a recurring lead character as "Spike Tracy" in the publications of Ashbrook, is on hand to abet the detective. Viewers, however, will not require similar assistance, due to the story hardly being abstruse enough to challenge most armchair detectives. Production values for this low tier Chesterfield Pictures item are expectedly paltry, but some performances from players are to be valued, in particular a brief turn by Lloyd Whitlock, and neatly developed characterizations from Grey and Dorothy Revier as female suspects. Director Thorpe, ever respectful of his cast members, and especially of those whom are stage trained, leads with a loose rein.

During the 1930s, Hollywood made a ton of murder mysteries. While they continued to make some in the 40s, the 30s was by far the most prolific period--and most of them were B-movies. These Bs had relatively unknown actors, simple plots and usually ended in about an hour...more or less. And, because I love old films, I've seen so many that they're all starting to look the same.

Take, for instance, "Green Eyes". It has all the elements you'll find in such a murder film. There is always a know-it-all guy who isn't with the local police--in this case a guy who writes murder mysteries who just happens to be there. There are misdirections galore--with too many folks lying and a supposed suicide to cover up the real murder. The plot is also, at times, too complicated and full of unnecessary details (such as the whole green eyes angle). Not surprisingly, the well-trained professional cops are complete morons. Heck, by watching these films you'd think cops NEVER solved crimes more taxing than jaywalking! And, the film is made entirely of unknown actors. No, none of the film is all that original or all that good, though I did like that they made the writer a bit of a smart-mouth. Worth seeing if you're not yet sick of the genre, but there certainly are similar yet better films out there--such as any of the Charlie Chan films or "Footsteps in the Dark".

Cops investigate a costume party murder in a rich man's mansion.

Thoroughly routine whodunit, despite the promising opening scenes. Not surprisingly, it's one of the type popular in the 30's, when amateur sleuths out-sleuthed the professionals. Here it's Charles Starrett as a novelist figuring out the clues before the cops do. But at least the screenplay doesn't turn the head cop into some kind of buffoon as often happened in these 30's programmers.

Now I'm used to seeing Starrett with a six-gun and Stetson giving the bad guys a hard-eyed stare. So, seeing him here as a loosey-goosey lounge lizard in alpine shorts took some getting used to. But he does liven up the acting, which otherwise tends toward the dull side. Still, that last scene in the lethal bedroom stands as a real grabber of staging. Too bad the rest of the movie doesn't show a similar level of imagination.

(In passing—Am I mistaken or does Starrett look like an early version of Rock Hudson.)

"A stately country mansion is the sight of a costume party thrown by its wealthy owner. The masquerade party comes to an abrupt end when the host is found dead in a closet, his body full of stab wounds. Now the authorities and a crime novelist, who is a guest at the party, must sort through the guest list and uncover the identity of the murderer," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.

This dull whodunit stars handsome Charles Starrett (as Michael Tracy), despite the billing. Later, he became known as the western hero "The Durango Kid", one of the biggest "Box Office Western Stars" of the forties. As in other films, filmmakers got the ex-football star to partially undress, something usually reserved for women. Herein, you can catch Mr. Starrett in his pajama bottoms.

**** Green Eyes (6/15/34) Richard Thorpe ~ Charles Starrett, John Wray, Shirley Grey

The thirties were a dynamic decade where films turned from stilted and simple to dynamic with depth. This is a film that was made in the transition. At first, you think it is too simple with a hokey soundtrack. Then you get wrapped up in the story and find that this is a great short and to the point who done it. The film is black and white. It sort of has that Charlie Chan feels.

The story is a screenplay that has the look of a stage play. It is based on the novel "The Murder of Steven Kester" By H. Ashbrook. Jean Kester is in the process if eloping with Michael Tracy. So, people will not follow them they cut the phone lines and everyone's distributor wires. Now Jean's ruthless grandfather is found disposed of. It looks mighty suspicious. The house is full of people that were invited to a costume party. The police gat little cooperation from any of the guests. Before the day is over it will look like everyone had motive and opportunity. We may even find a few more deaths.

What part do green eyes play in the movie?

This is a well made mystery film from 1934 with a conclusion that makes sense. It would be difficult to ascertain that from most of the reviews on this database that discuss this film, however. I am not sure why they even bother to watch it in the first place, since they seem to dislike it so much. The police are portrayed as "morons" says one review, but I didn't see them like that. The cast consists of "unknowns" says another. Charles Starrett who received second billing may have not been a big star in 1934, but beginning in 1935 he signed a contract with Columbia Pictures and had his own series of Westerns until 1952. He was able to quit the series and retire at 48, a wealthy man.

Made in 1934, less than a decade after the introduction of the 'talkie', this crusty old murder mystery makes the most of the relatively new sound technology, being 99.9% talk—which, consequently, makes the film 100% boring.

Rather than concentrate on thrills and suspense, Green Eyes is all about the post-murder investigative procedure carried out by Inspector Crofton (John Wray), with a little amateur sleuthing from crime novelist Michael Tracy (Charles Starrett). Theories are bandied back and forth, clues are discussed, and suspects are interviewed at length, none of which is in the slightest bit entertaining.

It's a whole load of talk, followed by some more talk, a little chit-chat, a bit of conversation, more talk, even more talk, and then… well, you get the idea. By the end of this film, you'll be wishing that Al Jolson had kept his mouth shut and that the 'talkie revolution' had never happened.

Claude Gillingwater, everyone's favorite meanie, is found dead in an armoire during a costume party. Hurrah! Inspector John Wray shows up and questions everyone at the house, and the usual suspects crop up, including his grand daughter, Shirley Grey, William Bakewell, whom everyone thinks she's engaged to, although they deny it... oh, the usual suspects in this sort of movie. Happily, mystery writer Charles Starrett is on hand, to help and hinder the police and conduct his own investigation on the side.

I was impressed by the actors outside their usual range -- Starrett is unexpectedly youthful and charming for anyone used to his Durango Kid westerns, and Wray is plebeian and efficient. Aggie Herring has a fine role as the housekeeper, and there are two solutions to the mystery!

It's a cheaply shot movie, directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by ever-hopeful Gower Gulch company Chesterfield. this was the sort of work he excelled in, getting good performances and as much out of the story as possible on a tiny budget. All too soon, this happy faculty would take him to that most luxurious of studios, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where this was a rare commodity.

A costume party turns bad when one of the guests is found murdered. The police are called in to investigate. An average whodunit of the 1930s.

This one is a very typical murder-mystery of the 1930s. It's nothing special but it's not a bad film. It's not a total snore-fest but it's nothing to get excited over.

I might have enjoyed this movie a bit more if there were actors I found interesting playing in it. Again, this is not a bad film but could have been better with some interesting actors.

Watch this one if you are simply interested in watching older crime-mysteries... it's not all that bad.

4/10

Charles Starrett is a writer of murder mysteries who gets involved in—yes, a murder mystery. Nothing too original in Green Eyes, but a fair assortment of suspects and intriguing clues help maintain interest. Once again, it's a murder in a big old house in which nearly all of the film's action occurs. The event which sets the story in motion is the murder of the house's owner, one Steven Kester, during a costume party, and it's quickly established that his guests, his employees and even his granddaughter are not particularly sad to see him go. Even his butler can't find anything nice to say about him:

Inspector Crofton: "What kind of a man was Mr. Kester to work for?" Lenox the butler: "He was a Simon Legree, sir. It's been most difficult to put up with him these past 20 years."

For the first half of the film, John Wray as the inspector barks out a good half of all the dialog spoken as he rounds up clues and lays out the facts and motives. In the second half, we see more of Starrett as he quietly investigates while more noisily presenting a rather foppish front to most of the group.

Shirley Grey and Dorothy Revier, as the two women involved in the case, are given just enough screen time to hint that their characters could contain some interesting depths; but alas, a 70-minute movie holds limited space for developing character studies.

Nice touches: the goofy getups sported by the guests in the opening costume party and ensuing interrogation; the "green eyes" of the title; and a clever closing bit with Starrett at his typewriter.

Charles starrett, shirley grey. The kesters throw a costume party that goes very wrong! As the bodies start piling up, the coppers try to figure out what's going on. Unfortunately, both the sound and the picture quality are pretty awful. It seems to be the same ol issue where they made copies of copies, and the copies got progressively worse. This version showed on tubi streaming, and it gets pretty bad at times. In fact, the last ten seconds of the film, the camera zooms in on the typewriter... but it's so blurry, we can only make out some of the words. In this case, the poor picture quality really interfered with the story. Which was already shakey to begin with. Directed by richard thorpe. He later worked with elvis a couple times. John wray, who plays the inspector/captain, (although they keep calling him "chief") died young at 53. The imdb cast list says inspector, while the actual film lists him as captain. The story is based on the novel by h ashbrook. This seems to be the only film made from his work.

GREEN EYES opens with a costume party gone wrong, when the host is found stabbed to death. With his granddaughter as a handy suspect, the police believe they've quickly solved the crime. Obviously, that would result in a 5 minute movie, so, the cops wind up with a houseful of suspects instead.

The bulk of the film is taken up with the grilling of these people by Inspector Crofton (John Wray). While it's not a bad movie, anyone expecting a fast-paced movie packed with oddball characters spouting snappy 1930's-style dialogue could be disappointed. On the bright side, the story is interesting enough and gets sewn up nicely...