Director Robert Florey had first come to Hollywood in the early 1920s as a reporter for the French "Cinemagazine" to interview stars for a series of articles on Hollywood. He felt so at home that he stayed and his easy going nature made him many friends - he always felt a great camaraderie with the old stars. His films are often characterized with experimental camera work (he had made a few avant garde shorts during the late 20s). "The Preview Murder Mystery" is a re-working of an early Paramount talkie "The Studio Murder Mystery" (1929) which starred an up and coming Frederic March as an insufferable matinée idol whose death leaves many people as suspects. Florey asked Paramount to offer the role of Neil Du Beck to his old friend John Gilbert who he had met on his very first day in Hollywood. Gilbert had not worked in a while and was finding comfort in alcohol and when Paramount did not meet his price he refused the part. Unfortunately Gilbert died while the film was still shooting.
Neil Du Beck (Rod La Rocque) is World Attractions (Paramount) fastest rising actor who is due to become a star of the first magnitude with the release of "Song of the Toreador". The director Gordon Smith (Ian Keith) has remade it from one of his greatest silent successes featuring the greatest star of the day Edwin Strange (Conway Tearle). No one is holding out much hope for it's success as Du Beck has been receiving threatening letters claiming he will not live to see the movie previewed, so he and the rest of the cast are pretty jumpy. Again no one is taking the threats seriously until he is actually killed, then afterwards everyone remembers Smith's suspicious behaviour - then Smith is found dead!!!
Apart from Conway Tearle, Jack Mulhall, Bryant Washburn and Chester Conklin probably gave the audiences of the day a trip down memory lane. There was even an illusionary thrill - through the cobwebby sets a man bursts through - it is Du Beck, but no, it is his stand-in (Du Beck had died earlier in the movie)!! There is even a parody on "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" with similar sets etc, but when the young actor (Henry Brandon) who plays "Batboy" refuses to go on due to fear and stress and then confesses he is a vegetarian because meat makes him nervous - the director is disgusted!!! The ending is a surprise but is definitely in keeping with Florey's love of old Hollywood and unlike "Hollywood Boulevard" the slight romantic subplot between Reginald Denny and Frances Drake doesn't get in the way of the main mystery.
Just a couple of years before, Gail Patrick had been a sweet ingenue but she was now perfecting her icy brittleness which would see her a standout in "My Man Godfrey".
Neil Du Beck (Rod La Rocque) is World Attractions (Paramount) fastest rising actor who is due to become a star of the first magnitude with the release of "Song of the Toreador". The director Gordon Smith (Ian Keith) has remade it from one of his greatest silent successes featuring the greatest star of the day Edwin Strange (Conway Tearle). No one is holding out much hope for it's success as Du Beck has been receiving threatening letters claiming he will not live to see the movie previewed, so he and the rest of the cast are pretty jumpy. Again no one is taking the threats seriously until he is actually killed, then afterwards everyone remembers Smith's suspicious behaviour - then Smith is found dead!!!
Apart from Conway Tearle, Jack Mulhall, Bryant Washburn and Chester Conklin probably gave the audiences of the day a trip down memory lane. There was even an illusionary thrill - through the cobwebby sets a man bursts through - it is Du Beck, but no, it is his stand-in (Du Beck had died earlier in the movie)!! There is even a parody on "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" with similar sets etc, but when the young actor (Henry Brandon) who plays "Batboy" refuses to go on due to fear and stress and then confesses he is a vegetarian because meat makes him nervous - the director is disgusted!!! The ending is a surprise but is definitely in keeping with Florey's love of old Hollywood and unlike "Hollywood Boulevard" the slight romantic subplot between Reginald Denny and Frances Drake doesn't get in the way of the main mystery.
Just a couple of years before, Gail Patrick had been a sweet ingenue but she was now perfecting her icy brittleness which would see her a standout in "My Man Godfrey".