▁scenes ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁old ▁m ansion ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁story ▁takes ▁place ". ▁Pitts ▁did ▁note ▁that ▁the ▁film ▁was ▁over long ▁and ▁" some what ▁static ▁and ▁a ▁bit ▁cre ak y " ▁by ▁contemporary ▁standards , ▁but ▁that ▁" it ▁holds ▁up ▁well ▁and ▁provides ▁several ▁dos es ▁of ▁cin ematic ▁ch ills , ▁especially ▁during ▁the ▁clim actic ▁se ance ." ▁ ▁Crit ic ▁Roy ▁K inn ard ▁commented ▁" This ▁mel od ram atic ▁but ▁rather ▁t ame ▁detect ive ▁mystery ▁re lied ▁almost ▁entirely ▁on ▁dialog ue ▁to ▁advance ▁its ▁plot . ▁Bor is ▁Kar lo ff .... is ▁among ▁the ▁supporting ▁players ." ▁ ▁T roy ▁How arth ▁commented ▁on ▁Bor is ▁Kar lo ff ▁in ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Abd ul , ▁the ▁H indu ▁lawyer , ▁who ▁" t akes ▁advantage ▁of ▁his ▁naturally ▁dark ▁complex ion ▁but ... ▁strugg les ▁ter rib ly ▁with ▁the ▁thick ▁Indian ▁acc ent ." ▁Leonard ▁M alt in ▁gave ▁the ▁film ▁two ▁stars , ▁calling ▁it ▁a ▁" st agy ▁Ben ▁He cht ▁mel od rama ▁with ▁much ▁ham ming , ▁especially ▁by ▁un bil led ▁Kar lo ff ". ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁Bor is ▁Kar lo ff ▁film ography ▁ ▁Lion el ▁Barry more ▁film ography ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁S ources ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁Category : 1 9 2 9 ▁films ▁Category : 1 9 2 0 s ▁mystery ▁films ▁Category : American ▁films ▁Category : American ▁black - and - white ▁films ▁Category :