The Phantom (1931)

• 43%
• 1931
• Horror
• Mystery
• Thriller
• Alan James
• Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams
• Allene Ray
• Niles Welch

The infamous Phantom, a dangerous killer, is to be executed, but he escapes from the roof of the prison on to a passing train and is picked up by an airplane. After his escape, he sends a note to District Attorney John Hampton, announcing that he will visit his home that evening and warning Hampton not to trap him. Both Hampton and his daughter Ruth, a society reporter, are assigned bodyguards. Sam Crandall, the editor of the paper, is in love with Ruth, but she does not return his affections because she is in love with reporter Dick Mallory. Dick hopes to capture The Phantom and write the story in order to earn a raise that will enable him to marry Ruth. That evening at the Hamptons, Dick gains entry to Hampton's rooms, where he is mistaken for The Phantom. While Dick and Hampton talk, a strange creature sneaks into Ruth's bedroom through a secret passage. The creature, called "The Thing," is just about to capture Ruth when she screams and the men rush to her rescue. Ruth believes that The Phantom is hiding at Dr. Weldon's sanitarium because she heard The Thing mutter Weldon's name when he attacked her. Ruth, Dick, the maid Lucy and the chauffeur, Shorty, leave for the sanitarium. To avoid suspicion, Ruth pretends to faint and Dick asks for medical help. While he is talking to the doctor, Ruth is kidnapped by The Thing, who believes she would be a perfect specimen for Weldon's brain transplant experiments. Lucy happens to see them disappear through a secret panel, but when she tells Dick, he is unable to make the panel open. Finally, with the help of one of the patients, Dick opens the panel and rushes to Ruth's aid. In the struggle that follows, Ruth escapes. Lucy telephones the police, who identify Weldon as the Phantom. Despite his feelings for Ruth, Crandall gives credit to Dick for Weldon's capture and Dick receives his raise.