Ford and Pepper

THE ROGUES TAVERN-1936-An engaged couple Jimmy (Wallace Ford) & Marjorie (Barbara Pepper) stay at a place called The Red Rock Tavern with a bunch of mysterious and shady characters. It’s run by Mr. and Mrs. Jameson. Almost immediately a guy named Harrison (Ivo Henderson) is killed and has strange animal marks on his neck. Earlier a semi-psychic Gloria (Joan Woodbury) who also reads cards foretold his death. Two other guests Mason (Ed Cassidy) and Hughes (John Cowen) seem to have a deal going on which is connected to Gloria and they are waiting for someone named Wentworth. But then Hughes is killed and has the same weird marks on his neck. 

When Wentworth (Arthur Loft) shows up it becomes obvious he and his cohorts were brought together for an unknown reason. There seems to be a fake wolf head floating around too. Later after another death it seems Mr. Jameson (John Elliot) is the killer even though he’s in a wheelchair but Jimmy (who’s a detective) believes he’s covering up for someone. A revenge seeking guy named Morgan (Earl Dwire) shows up bent on killing Wentworth but he’s not responsible for the murders. A cackling maniacally twisted Mrs. Jameson (Clara Kimball Young) is the one who set everything in motion to get vengeance on Wentworth and his pals who drove her sister to suicide. Jimmy saves the day, wrong doers are arrested and the Justice of Peace arrives in time to marry the couple. 

Ford and Pepper make a good team with a lot of snappy dialogue. Second leads aren't that great though. Still, not a bad forgotten low budget murder mystery from the obscure Mercury Pictures directed by Bob Hall (FLASH GORDON'S TRIP TO MARS). Remade in 1943 as THE BLACK RAVEN.

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