It's an agreeable surprise to find Charley Grapewin billed as the star of this fun and thrill-filled old dark house escapade. While it's possible to pick holes in the ingenious plot, the dialogue, the direction and even the cinematography, you can't argue with the central idea, the pacing, the superior production values (for a Poverty Row effort) or the obvious enthusiasm of players and technicians to make a movie that's always most enjoyable to watch and listen to, despite the obvious limitations of a "B" budget offering, set within the none-too-lavishly appointed confines of the old Mack Sennett Studio in North Hollywood. All things considered, Mac D'Agostino's sets are delightfully eye-catching. I love the trophy room!<br /><br />The picture starts off most promisingly on the right foot with an ingenious credits sequence improvised and directed by Joseph H. Lewis. The movie then quickly gets down to familiar but nonetheless pleasing business as the camera focuses on Charley Grapewin, who quickly and cleverly explains to his assembled relatives what nice round figures each will realize from his $6 million will, provided of course that his long-lost grand-daughter doesn't turn up before the clock strikes twelve. Needless to say, she doesin the person of lovely Evalyn Knappor does she? <br /><br />As expected, the mystery and horror elements (the phantom himself or herself isn't all that frightening, but there's a sequence in the trophy room that's bound to raise goose bumps) jostle for attention with some smart repartee and even a bit of knockabout. But even that is well done!