Starring Edmund Lowe, Victor McLaglen, Richard Arlen, Adrienne Ames, Henry Stephenson
Directed by Erle C. Kenton

Print: black/white
Runtime: 80 min.
Genre: mystery
Print Quality: B

Victor McLaglen and Edmund Lowe carry their pugnacious Quirt-and-Flagg relationship into
the murder mystery genre in Paramount's Guilty as Hell. Actually, there's very little mystery
involved, since the audience is informed at the outset that dignified Dr. Tindall (Henry
Stephenson) is responsible for the death of his faithless wife (Claire Dodd). Carefully
arranging the evidence, Tindall manages to convince the authorities that Mrs. Tindall's lover
Frank Marsh (Richard Arlen) is the criminal. Detective McKinley (McLaglen) is ready to
declare the case closed, but reporter Russell Kirk (Lowe), who's sweet on Marsh's sister
Vera (Adrienne Ames), suspects there's more to the story than meets the eye. Likewise
falling for Vera, McKinley grudgingly joins his friendly enemy Kirk in proving Frank's
innocence and Tindall's guilt. Released in England as Guilty as Charged, this lightweight
thriller was remade, with its delightful surprise ending intact, as Night Club Scandal (1937),
with John Barrymore hamming his way through the Henry Stephenson part.