Murder by the Clock

A wealthy old man is found dead, and his will leaves his fortune to a niece he has never met. The niece arrives, only to find a series of mysterious deaths and strange occurrences plaguing the household. As a detective investigates, it becomes clear that a murderer is at work, using the guise of a spectral "phantom" to commit their crimes.

While an early example of Universal's horror output, "Murder by the Clock" is often considered a lesser entry in their classic monster era. It was a modest success upon release, benefiting from the studio's growing reputation in the horror genre, but is now mainly remembered as a curiosity for fans of early horror films and detective stories.

• The film offers a standard mystery plot with elements of horror that were popular in the early 1930s.
• The atmosphere is somewhat effective, drawing on gothic tropes and a sense of dread.
• Performances are competent for the era, though the plot can be predictable.

Google audience: Information on specific Google user reviews for this film from 1931 is not readily available.

This film is notable for being an early Universal Pictures horror film, predating many of their more famous monster movies and showcasing the studio's early forays into the genre.