The Ghost Walks (1936)

Frank R. Strayer is a little known director today. If classic film fans have heard of him, it is because of Strayer’s work as the frequent director of films in the Blondie Series. Strayer was able to land this “B” film series because of his quality work in lesser “B” film productions in the early 1930s. This film (affiliate link) and The Vampire Bat (1933) are two of the best examples of the care Strayer put into his “B” films.

In The Ghost Walks (1934), one of Strayer’s favorite actors John Milijan plays Prescott Ames, a playwright, who is driving potential backers to a meeting. Due to the heavy storm, the vehicles becomes bogged down in the mud outside of a country estate. Coincidentally, the estate belongs to Ames’ friends and acquaintances although Ames does not seem happy to see all of them. Or is he?

One of the strengths of this film is that everything is not exactly as it seems. The car broke down accidentally or on purpose. The backers believe the breakdown was planned and the murder that occurs is part of the acting out of Ames’ new play. During all the chaos, a warder from the local mental hospital knocks on the door. In a familiar plot twist of the late silent and early sound era, a homicidal maniac has escaped from the sanitorium. The warder warns the residents of the house that the man seems harmless but he is actually capable of great violence.

With all these plot lines, it would be easy for the film to get away from Strayer. However, Strayer resolves all these plot lines in a tight 63 and a half minutes. Strayer’s film would have warmed up the audience for the second film in the double feature without wearing them out with too much content. After viewing these films, you will understand why Frank Strayer was selected as the main director for the Blondie series.

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