Title: A Shriek in the Night
Year: 1933
Genres: Mystery; Horror; Crime
Director: Albert Ray

Cast:

• Ginger Rogers as Mary Houston
• Lyle Talbot as Tom Jackson
• Dwight Frye as Dr. Palmer
• Charlotte Merriam as Eve Watson
• Russell Hopton as Detective Brennan
• James Eagles as Joey
• Arthur Edmund Carewe as Professor Bramwell

Synopsis:

Newspaper reporter Mary Houston goes undercover at a secluded mental institution after a series of grisly murders linked to the facility. Posing as a patient, she uncovers sinister experiments led by Dr. Palmer and his assistant Eve Watson. When fellow patients begin disappearing—or turning up dead—Mary and local detective Tom Jackson race against time to expose the killer before becoming victims themselves. In a tension-filled climax, Mary unravels the murderer’s identity and, with Jackson’s help, brings them to justice.

Trivia:

• One of Ginger Rogers’s early dramatic roles, showcasing her range beyond musical comedies.
• Dwight Frye’s chilling performance as Dr. Palmer added to his legacy of memorable horror characters.
• The film reused sets from Universal’s The Old Dark House (1932) to create its eerie atmosphere.
• Entered the public domain decades ago and is often included in budget horror anthologies.