“The House of Unrest,” English Mystery Thriller

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7314, 15 November 1933, Page 5

“The House of Unrest,” English Mystery Thriller

MALCOLM KEEN AND DOROTHY BOYD BOTH ACT SPLENDIDLY

A brilliant drama, “The House of Unrest,” somes to the Palace to-day. Leslie Howard Gordon, who wrote the original stage play, directs and creates a tense and eerie atmosphere throughout and the nerve strain and tear, the sense of imminent, death and the feeling ot the impeccable workings of a mysterious will are brought out to the full.

The stars have been chosen well and are headed by Malcolm Keen and Dorothy Boyd. The story tells how, on a small island off a remote part of Scotland, stands a solitary house. In the house are Hearne, tho owner; David, his secretary; Ben, his oldest friend; Diana, his half-sister; and Agnes, an old family servant.

Hearne shows the party a magnificent diamond worth twenty thousand pounds and explaains that this is his reason for coming to the island. It is his only capital, and two attempts have already been made to steal it in London. He thinks it will be safer on an island li<<o this than it- would be in London. He knows exactly who is on the island and no one can land without their knowing. While he is explaining, Sheridan Cleaver, a friend of David’s, arrives and is introduced as something of an. amateur criminologist. Agnes implores the household to leave the island for she is sure something will happen if they stay. She has seen a mysterious figuro lurking about the island. Messages arc discovered signed by a mysterions “No. 1 threatening to appear at midnight, lhe diamond is placed ir» the heel of Diana’s shoe. As she is crossing the hall, part of a heavy beam crashes to tho floor, missing her by inches. After the rest have gone to bed, Sherry points out to Hearne that the beam did not fall by accident, but was deliberately loosened. Sherry suggests to Hearne that “No. 1 ” must obviously bo one of the household. But this Hearne refuses to believe. What motives could there be. He himself owns the diamond. David is his trusted secretary. Diana is his half sister. He has known Ben all his life and Agnes has been in the family for twenty years.

Hearne stays up alone to wait for the threatened attack. A, few moments later he arouses the rest of the men; the door had swung open, something had brushed past him and then had gono on to the island. They go out and search. Diana comes downstairs. A masked figure appears and drags her out of the house and down to tho cliffs. The figurfi examines her shoe. The diamond is not there. As ho demands tho stone she pulls the handkerchief fft>m his face with her teeth and*' stares at him in horrified recognition. At that moment the voices of the searchers aro heard and the figure hastily abandons Diana. At tho top of the cliffs the figuro encounters Agnes, who is searching on her own. Fearing recognition, he strangles her. The figuro conies back to tbe house . j . The climax is a revelation.