Mystery Liner

Mystery Liner is a 1934 American Pre-Code film directed by William Nigh, starring Noah Beery, Sr., and based on an Edgar Wallace story originally published in the Saturday Evening Post in 1924. The film was entered as a feature attraction at the 1934 International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art in Venice, Italy, the forerunner of the Venice Film Festival.

Plot

Captain Holling is relieved of command of his ship after he suffers a nervous breakdown. His replacement, Captain Downey, takes over the liner just as it is about to be used for an experiment in remote control.
Professor Grimson has devised a system for controlling the ship from a land-based laboratory. However, as Grimson demonstrates the system, a rival group is listening in, hoping to use the device for its own purposes.

Cast

Noah Beery as Capt. John Holling
Astrid Allwyn as Lila Kane
Edwin Maxwell as Major Pope
Gustav von Seyffertitz as Inspector Von Kessling
Ralph Lewis as Prof. Grimson
Cornelius Keefe as First Officer Cliff Rogers
Zeffie Tilbury as Granny Plimpton
Boothe Howard as Capt. Downey
Howard C. Hickman as Dr. Howard
Gabby Hayes as Joe, the watchman
George Cleveland as Simms the Steward

Critical reception

Leonard Maltin called the film an "intriguing but slow-paced B-picture"; while Allmovie called it "a rather nifty little science fiction-thriller/murder mystery from Poverty Row company Monogram... Typical low-budget fare, Mystery Liner is nevertheless well photographed by Archie Stout and for the most part capably acted"; and TV Guide noted "a fine example of a well-made thriller created on the programmer assembly line...Veteran director William Nigh does a typically professional job with the few resources at his disposal and cinematographer Archie Stout contributes some exceptional camerawork."