Mystery of Marie Roget *** (1942, Maria Montez, Patric Knowles, Maria Ouspenskaya, John Litel, Edward Norris, Lloyd Corrigan, Nell O’Day) – Classic Movie Review 13,804

Universal Pictures’ 1942 murder mystery thriller B-film Mystery of Marie Roget is based on an Edgar Allan Poe short story, and stars Maria Montez, Patric Knowles and Maria Ouspenskaya.

Director Phil Rosen’s 1942 Universal Pictures black and white thriller B-film Mystery of Marie Roget stars Maria Montez, Patric Knowles, Maria Ouspenskaya, John Litel, Edward Norris, Lloyd Corrigan, and Nell O’Day.

When an 1889 Parisian musical comedy star called Marie Roget (Maria Montez) vanishes, baffled police inspector Gobelin (Lloyd Corrigan) is investigating her disappearance. He brings in medical officer Dr Paul Dupin (Patric Knowles), who discovers that she had been planning to murder her sister Camille (Nell O’Day).

The intriguing, well-cast murder mystery is rather clumsily developed in a fairly cheap-looking production. But director Phil Rosen keeps the film moving briskly and efficiently, and the acting from the irresistible vintage cast and the story remain involving throughout.

Mystery of Marie Roget is written by Michel Jacoby, based on the Edgar Allan Poe short story The Mystery of Marie Roget, taken from an 1842 news item. Jacoby changes the story to 1889 and Marie’s profession from a shopgirl.

It runs just 61 minutes.

Production began on December 10, 1941, and ended by the end of the year. Universal Pictures released it on April 3, 1942 and later re-released it as Phantom of Paris.

The film reuses stock scores, including Franz Waxman’s music from The Invisible Ray and the waltz music is from the 1941 Back Street.

Montez’s singing voice on the song ‘Mama Dit Mo’ is dubbed by vocalist Dorothy Triden.

Cast: Maria Montez, Patric Knowles, Maria Ouspenskaya, John Litel, Edward Norris, Lloyd Corrigan, Nell O’Day, Frank Reicher, Clyde Fillimore, Norman Drury, John Maxwell, Paul Bryar, Charles Middleton, Reed Hadley, Paul Dubov.

Edward Norris said that he and Patric Knowles ‘had a wonderful time and became long-time friends’. Nell O’Day said that she and Maria Montez got along but she ‘was not popular with the staff and crew because she thought of them almost as servants’.

Cast: Maria Montez as Marie Roget, Patric Knowles as Paul Dupin, Maria Ouspenskaya as Cecile Roget, John Litel as Henri Beauvais, Edward Norris as Marcel Vigneaux, Lloyd Corrigan as Gobelin, Nell O’Day as Camille Roget, Frank Reicher as Magistrate, Paul E Burns as Gardener, Charles Middleton as Zoo Curator, William Ruhl as Detective, Reed Hadley as Naval Officer, Clyde Fillimore, Norman Drury, John Maxwell, Paul Bryar, Paul Dubov.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,804

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