The Drums of Jeopardy (1931) Online

Warner Oland stars as Dr Boris Karloff, a man out to avenge his daughter's suicide by killing off a Russian noble family that he holds responsible for her death. Warner Oland soon after this movie became famous in his portrayal of Charlie Chan in a series of movies about a famous Chinese detective and the mysteries he solves. Clara Blandick, the future Auntie Em in the Wizard of Oz plays a great character in a supporting role and is excellent in bringing comic relief to this little known drama from 1931. I saw this movie on a DVD by Alpha video. The film does have some scratches and the sound has some problems during the opening credits. It's a short movie at 66 minutes but seems to be right for the pace of the movie. The Drums of Jeopardy is a decent movie. I would call it a murder drama. It's definitely dated though. You can sure tell you're in the 30s both by the dialogue, and situations. You really have to be a fan of older movies to get the most out of this film.

I like the movie, for what it is. I would like to see the earlier version, and compare. I've always thought of Warner Oland as kind of a ham. But it's impossible to judge by 1931 standards in 2007, so what do I know? The Karlov question had me curious. This is what Wikipedia had to say (yeah, I know-- it's Wikipedia, so who knows if it's true?):

"In 1922 the book was made into a Broadway play and the following year a motion picture. A second film version appeared in 1931. It is said that a young Boris Karloff, who previously had a few uncredited film roles, chose his stage name for his first screen credit in 1920 from a Russian mad scientist character named "Boris Karlov" in this novel. The name 'Boris Karlov' was used from MacGrath's book for the 1922 Broadway play, but by 1923 with actor Boris Karloff using the similar sounding variation, the film version renamed the character, played by Wallace Beery, 'Gregor Karlov'. In the 1931 film version, however, with Warner Oland playing the character, the mad scientist's name is restored to 'Boris Karlov', less than a year before Frankenstein would make Boris Karloff a household word for generations. Ironically, Boris Karloff would play many mad scientists on screen, but never 'Boris Karlov'."

As a side note for those interested in original sources, the Harold MacGrath novel "Drums of Jeopardy" is available as a free e-text download at Project Gutenberg.

Like MYSTERY OF MARIE ROGET (1942), this is more thriller than horror but there is still enough atmosphere and thrills here to make it an entertaining ride (which, as with the above-mentioned film, clocks in at just over an hour and is therefore not allowed to overstay its welcome). The plot is that of a hoary melodrama – not unlike the Oriental Lon Chaney vehicle MR. WU (1927) – as an eminent personality (in this case, scientist Warner Oland: interestingly, his most famous role was the multiple genial appearances as popular Chinese sleuth Charlie Chan!) has his life virtually brought to a stand-still by the death, over her romantic attachment to a member of the aristocracy, of his young daughter. So, he swears vengeance and nearly accomplishes his mission, were it not for the intervention of an elderly but strong-willed lady (here, it is Clara Blandick, the landlady of the heroine who chooses to shelter one of Oland's 'targets') – though her annoying characterization reminded me of the middle-aged 'fraidy cat' maid in THE BAT WHISPERS (1930) and the romantically-inclined (albeit still very much way- past-her-prime) one in THE GHOUL (1933)!

Incidentally, the title refers not to the musical instrument but to a diamond-studded necklace belonging to the upper-class family and which had been donated to Oland's daughter by her paramour. It eventually comes into play in the scientist's revenge scheme since he is gentlemanly (or is that sadistic?) enough to forewarn his next victim with a note accompanied by one of the jewels; by the way, Oland has an accomplice in a lanky and somber Mischa Auer, that is before he became everybody's favorite eccentric Russian! The few murder/action sequences deliver the goods – especially one in which Oland's shadow slowly bends over the kidnapped eldest nemesis to strangle him and then plants his body in a window so that, during a roof-top chase with the man's relatives and the Police, they take him for Oland and take several pot-shots at the poor soul! Then there is the finale where, as I said, it is Blandick who contrives to literally make the drop on Oland by pushing him through a trap-door down into the river running under his hiding-place/laboratory/operations center as he is about to blow everything sky-high via a potion he has concocted.

Ultimately, this is a minor yet engaging outing that ought to be better-known (I only learned about it myself when I came across the film fairly recently)…if only because Oland's character here is named – brace yourself – Boris Karlov (the picture under review came out eight months prior to FRANKENSTEIN, released the same year and which, I am sure no-one needs reminding, immortalized its star who was soon to be billed simply as "Karloff, the Uncanny")!!

Since I don't know when this movie was made one can simply assume the name of the character that Warner "Charlie Chan" Oland plays was chosen simply by chance, but its true he does play Boris Karloff, er... Karlov.

The plot of this movie has Oland getting revenge one of the Russian Royal families for the death of his daughter. It seems that his daughter was in the Royal Ballet and was the lover of one of the princes who sent her away causing her to attempt suicide. Oland finds a piece of the crown jewels, a necklace called the Drums of Jeopardy, in her possession. In her weakened state she runs to warn her lover only to die in his arms moments before her father arrives and attempts to wipe out the family. He's sent to the gulag vowing revenge. Years later, after the family has been displaced by the revolution, they head to America where Oland begins sending drums from the necklace to the family members before killing them.(Legend says, if some one gets one of the separated drums, they will die with in 24 hours)

This is a great movie that is hampered by the fact that it now seems rather static.Its one of the movies from the early days of sound films, when there would be little music and long moments of silence that played fine then, but now seem to slow things down to a crawl. The first half of this film is dynamite and moves like the wind as we go from Russia to New York and out to the country in a breezy 30 or thirty five minutes. There's lots of action and complications. The trouble comes in the second half where the movie is locked in the country house and its surrounding area as the surviving members of the royal family wait for Oland's attack. Its not bad its just too slow compared to the first half.

I give it 7 out of ten over all, the first half scoring 9 and the second a 5, purely because it seems so slow after the first half.

Totally implausible/ridiculous but good fun. A pre-Charlie Chan Warner Oland, a Swede, is Russian this time. He's bent on revenge and hams it up all the way.

Neither Oland or the other Russian characters utter a word of Russian. The fleeing royals reach New York and bump into an ingenue and her peppery aunt who, of course, shelter the strangers in their country house. Wouldn't you?

The lights go out more than once. The phone is dead. A claw-like hand jumps out of the curtain to grab the girl. Stuff used a thousand times. The plot creaks and the print used for the DVD is battered, but you could do worse for an early talkie.

Mischa Auer lurks around in a pre-screwball role.

Getting back home late at night after catching up with friends,I looked for an easy-going Horror title to view. When watching the likeable The Phantom (1931) last week,I remember another Horror from that year which I've not heard of before came up on "recommended",which led to me playing the drums of jeopardy.

View on the film:

For the second adaptation of prolific writer Harold McGrath's (who due to fears over discrimination, hid that he was deaf for almost all his career) novel, director George B. Seitz & cinematographer Arthur Reed drum up a lively atmosphere in the Old Dark House setting by stirring it with the "Mad Scientist" genre of chin-stroking baddies handing out underhanded knock-outs to complete Karlov's mission. Showing Karlov's wits with his use of a bulletproof vest, Seitz ends the movie on a wave that fully unveils Karlov's revenge plan. One of the credited writers for The Wizard of Oz, Florence Ryerson shows in this adaptation little sign of what was to come, with the pain that sets off Karlov's plans for revenge being left at a surface level, and all the people he targets being tied with flat dialogue. Greatly raising the quality of the film, Warner Oland gives a wicked cackling turn as Karlov,who bangs the drums of jeopardy.

It is absolutely useless for me to review this movie, because this site has made all viewer reviews useless. We can no longer find reviews from viewers who loved the movie, or felt neutral about the movie, or hated the movie. From now on all the reviews are listed simply one after the other without any reason whatsoever. For movies with tons of reviews, you are forced to scroll down endlessly in order to find anything. Up yours, IMDb.

Even though Harold McGrath's novel "The Drums of Jeopardy" had been filmed in 1923 with Wallace Beery, Tiffany's all talking remake featured Warner Oland and was actually a reworking of Florence Ryerson's script "The Return of Fu Manchu" - a character that by 1931 Oland had made his own. It may have been only a Tiffany (probably the most prestigious of poverty row studios) but this must be one of Oland's best films and Mischa Auer, who for years had been playing eccentric bits, finally broke out with his characterization of a decandent syncophant.

When scientist Dr. Boris Karlov (Oland) learns his daughter has attempted suicide but refuses to divulge her lover's name, he finds one clue - a necklace known as the "drums of jeopardy", that belongs to the aristocratic Petrov family. Doesn't take the viewer long to figure out which is the cad - the guilty, shifty looks of Prince Gregor (Wallace MacDonald) leave no doubt and with Karlov vowing to return the drums "one - by - one" (as only Oland can deliver that line) the game is now afoot!!

1930, New York and Karlov has managed to intercept a letter to Martin Kent (Hale Hamilton) in which the desperate Petrov's ask for help before the crazed Karlov wipes out the entire family!! It's hard not to feel pity for Karlov - for coming to Petrov's house and confronting the family about the suicide of his daughter (Florence Lake, older sister of Arthur) he was sent to Siberia but with the Petrovs fleeing to America, he has more than had his revenge.

This is just a rip snorter action packed film - before the boat docks, Nicholas (trusty Lloyd Hamilton) and Gregor are just one step ahead of Karlov, sometimes not even that!! Nicholas receives a blow to the head and finally collapses after convincing apartment owner Kitty (luminous June Collyer) that he is not a bad guy and getting her and her crotchety aunt (Clara Blandick) thoroughly involved in the doings of the mad doctor. For once the romance doesn't slow down the action - Collyer is not a damsel in distress but a vital part of the proceeding - it's the men who are collapsing around her!!

A highlight of the film are the witty exchanges between criminologist Martin Kent and Karlov ("I'm disappointed in you Kent, I didn't think you would have walked into my trap so blindly", "Would it surprise you to find out I deliberately let your man lead me here etc...") Gregor, the real villain goes to Karlov's laboratory to point the finger at his unsuspecting brother in exchange for his life. The laboratory is a treasure trove of bubbling test tubes ("I am just going to test this mixture" ... and as the room is filled with blood curdling screams - "Ah yes, it's perfect"!!) - there is also a dungeon where Nick and Kitty are thrown. Nick has to kill Kitty with this huge butcher's knife ("as you killed my daughter, so you must kill the one you love" drawls Karlov who still believes Gregor's lies). Once back with his test tubes he chortles that he hopes they look for an escape, as they loosen the bricks water spurts from nowhere, quick enough to send them to a watery grave!!

The production has a sumptuous look - lavish sets (the Petrov palace with a huge oval dining table, an art deco studio flat that has more of the look of a Park Avenue penthouse, an ocean liner and a State of the Arts laboratory)!!!!

The movie starts very melodramatically, with a young woman in bed, tended by her mother, apparently dying. The reason for her deterioration is never stated, though it has to do with her relationship with some man. The acting here is poor. Her father (get this, his name is Boris Karlov, played by Warner Oland, acting like an evil Charlie Chan) enters, and demands the name of the man responsible, but his daughter refuses. A necklace, The Drums of Jeopardy, falls from under the bed covers, which he recognizes as belonging to the Petrovs, and vows revenge.

The movie and acting get better in the second act as the Petrovs come to America, fleeing the Bolshevik revolution. Karlov, working for the Bolsheviks, is in America already, and waiting for them. The Petrov sons escape Karlov twice, and flee to a country mansion on a dark and stormy night. Karlov and his goons are right behind.

This is an very 1930s movie with plot elements, and plot holes, typical of the period. The escaping Petrovs meet and are aided by a rich New York family. Karlov has a bullet-proof vest that defies Newton's third law of motion.

Clara Blandick, playing the matron of the New York family, shines while providing some humor.

WARNING: SPOILERS: It doesn't matter to me how many reference books place this under the genre "fantastic cinema," this does not qualify. The only possible "horror" is that Warner Oland is a bit more sadistic than the normal grieving father, but then again I've seen Mel Gibson in revenge films that far surpassed this one - and Gibson's are not horror either. In fact, "Karlov" (nod to Boris) is more akin to Lenin in this film so, in that regard, this is an anti-Communist message. As for the supposed "curse" of the jewelry, it's a mcguffin that has only a few moments, and no real link to the film. On to "science fiction," the closest we come is a mysterious formula that we know nothing of, that has an effect we don't see. The mere idea that he's a "scientist" is of little interest, even if, in the beginning of the film, we see him tinkering with some test tubes in a secret lab.

Now, the film itself is OK, with many clichéd characters, such as Oland's "Fu Manchu" type, gangsters, cops, spunky women, etc. Additionally, the print I saw was choppy with much film damage, but I tried not to let it cloud my judgment. 6 of 10.

This movie is very curious when it comes to the name of the villain. Warner Oland stars as 'Boris Karlov'--and I am sure the real life Boris Karloff (famous for his horror films) took notice. Why they changed his name from Gregor in the 1923 version to Boris is curious. While the real Karloff was quite prolific in films by the time the 1931 remake debuted, he was not yet a star--and his iconic role in "Frankenstein" was still six months in the future. Perhaps it's just an odd coincidence.

Now I mentioned that the film starred Warner Oland. If you aren't familiar with him, he popularized the character Charlie Chan and played him in a ton of films during the 1930s. He was a very prolific actor and starred in a lot of films other than the Chan series--though today he's known mostly as 'that Swedish guy who played Charlie Chan'. You might also notice Mischa Auer in a supporting role--a role totally unlike his usual comic ones.

The film begins with Karlov's daughter on the brink of death. Boris blames her condition on a noble Russian family and he devotes his entire life to wiping them out--on-by-one. The drums, by the way, refer to a necklace. Karlov takes it apart and sends a piece of it to the victims before exacting his revenge.

So is the film any good? Well, it's not "Gone Withe the Wind"! However, compared to other B suspense films, it's pretty good--with decent production values, a fast-paced script and plenty of suspense. But the film has its deficits as well--in particular, some really bad acting in some of the minor roles (it's like they are reading from cue cards) and a few of these scenes should have been re-shot (but for economy's sake, B movies did this as seldom as possible). But some of the acting was quite good--I liked Clara Blandick as the grouchy aunt and Oland seemed to have a lot of fun dispatching his victims! For example, I loved the wonderful poison gas scene at the 52 minute mark. Overall, you should not expect high art--just a decent and entertaining murder mystery/suspense picture-especially if you like this genre.

By the way, this film is available through Alpha Video. And while I have mentioned this in many of my reviews, viewers should note that Alpha's DVDs have no restoration of any sort done to them. Like most of the rest I have seen, this one is in rough shape--though not so bad that you shouldn't watch. Unfortunately, many of Alpha's films just aren't available anywhere else, so if you are a fan of these sorts of films you have to just take what you can get.

The Drums of Jeopardy (1931)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Mildly entertaining mix of melodrama, horror and thriller as Dr. Boris Karlov (Warner Oland) seeks vengeance against the noble family he blames for the death of his daughter. The "drums", of the title, refers to a mysterious necklace that the doctor steals and whoever gets a piece of it is officially warned that they're going to die next.

As far as "B" mystery-horror-thrillers go, THE DRUMS OF JEOPARDY isn't too bad but at the same time it's not all that good either. If you've seen enough of these types of films from the 1930's then you know that it seems they were being released weekly so you never quite know what you're going to get. Some of them feature nice budgets that allow their director's to do something with their weak screenplays whereas others have no effort behind them. This film is really split into two because it appears the first half was working on a decent budget and it almost feels as it was slashed because the second half of the picture takes away most of the action and instead features mostly dialogue scenes.

The first half of the film is without question the best because it gives us a great set-up and a pretty effective scene as the grieving father confronts his dying daughter and this is followed up with a scene where he witnesses her death and takes it out on the family. From here we're given a couple effective murders scenes including one where we just see the shadows of the killer's hand going towards the victim. With that said, the second half really gets dragged down due to some boring locations as well as some dialogue scenes that just really drag on without much excitement.

Oland, coming off playing Dr. FuManchu and a getting ready to take on a long Charlie Chan series, is in fine form, although, to be fair, this is the type of role that he could have played in his sleep. He's at least got enough energy to help carry the picture and a certain screen presence to help take the lower tier screenplay and bring it up a notch. The supporting cast isn't nearly in the same league and no one really stands out among them. THE DRUMS OF JEOPARDY isn't going to win any major awards and there are certainly much better thrillers out there but if you're a fan of the genre or Oland it's still worth watching.