The Great Gambini *** (1937, Akim Tamiroff, Marian Marsh, John Trent, Genevieve Tobin) – Classic Movie Review 12,130

Grant Naylor (John Trent) is unhappy because the woman he loves wants to marry another. On the evening before her marriage to scoundrel Stephen Danby (Roland Drew), Ann Randall (Marian Marsh) consults The Great Gambini (Akim Tamiroff), a magician expert in telepathy. The Great Gambini predicts that Ann and Stephen will never be wed. The morning after, Stephen is found dead.

The search for his murderer is stirred up into a tense crime melodrama, when Sergeant Kirby (William Demarest) questions the suspects and comes up with his idea of the killer but Grant believes he has the wrong man.

The 1937 American mystery film The Great Gambini is stunningly photographed in black and white by Leon Shamroy, mounted with exceptional lavishness by Paramount Pictures, and directed by Charles Vidor with an eagle eye to thrilling suspense. Tamiroff finds himself with a very good star role and makes the most of it, and Demarest is the other hit turn as the grouchy detective.

The cast are Akim Tamiroff as The Great Gambini, Marian Marsh as Ann Randall, John Trent as Grant Naylor, Genevieve Tobin as Nancy Randall, Reginald Denny as William Randall, Roland Drew as Stephen Danby, William Demarest as Sergeant Kirby, Edward Brophy as Butch, Alan Birmingham as Lamb, Lya Lys as Luba, Ralph Peters as Bartender.

It is written by Frederick J Jackson, Frank Partos and Howard Irving Young.

It was released on 25 June 1937 by Paramount Pictures.

The Great Gambini is directed by Charles Vidor, runs 70 minutes, is made and released by Paramount Pictures, is written by Frederick J Jackson, Frank Partos and Howard Irving Young, is shot in black and white by Leon Shamroy, is produced by B P Schulberg, and scored by Boris Morros.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,130

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