Phantom of Crestwood, The (DVD)

Who killed Jenny Wren? An added undercurrent of excitement accompanied this atmospheric mystery's arrival at movie houses. A multi-episode radio version had preceded the release of the film, and listeners were invited to vie for prizes by submitting their ideas on how the broadcast's cliffhanger ending should resolve. Would one of those submittals end up on the screen? Fans would have to see the movie to find out! Karen Morley portrays unfortunate Jenny, who plans to blackmail her rich and powerful paramours at a posh soiree. Instead, she is murdered. A career criminal (Ricardo Cortez) at the gathering, knowing he must act before police arrive and accuse him, takes it upon himself to sift through the clues to discover the Maltese of the whodunit. Combining elements of parlor mystery with the secret passages, stormy nights and strange apparitions of old-dark-house tales, the Selznick RKO unit crafts a clever entertainment.

• crime