one of the genre that flourish during the decade of the 30 be the variation of crime fiction know a the murder mystery and a the addition of sound to film help to make a more faithful translation to film of what the audience experience in the original play . and since horror film be very popular in those year and by enhance the horror element of the plot the murder mystery film experience a popularity almost equal to what it enjoy in the previous decade ( in which the first movie of the genre be produce ) . aspire playwright charles belden saw in this renew interest in murder mystery a chance to make a name for himself and after warner bros. pick his three act play and the wax work and to create the 1933 horror film and mystery of the wax museum . belden join independent filmmaker frank r. strayer to keep make film and and the ghost walk be one of his best . in the ghost walk and john miljan play prescott ames and a young playwright who want to impress a famous broadway producer name herman wood ( richard carle ) with his new play . ames take wood and his assistant homer ( johnny arthur ) to his country house for a reading of his play and but his car end up stick in the mud during a terrible storm . the three men ask for refugee in an old mansion which happen to be property of one of ames old acquaintance . inside the house and wood and homer witness the strange relationship between ames and the house owner and however and this be all a plan conceive to impress wood represent everyone in the house be an actor play a role in his murder mystery . unfortunately and the murder commit be do for real and and while wood and homer think it all fake ( after discover ames original plan ) and the cast know that someone inside the house be a real murderer . a expect and charles belden screenplay for the ghost walk feature the classic element of the murder mystery story of it time and a we have the stormy night at an old dark house a setting and the obligatory group of suspect and and the touch of comedy . however and what interest here be how belden make the film a real spoof on the genre with the many twist he put in his story to play with the clichés of murder mystery play . the dialog be excellent and full of wit and lighthearted charm and and while the plot certainly lose a lot of steam by the end ( it follow the murder mystery routine anyways ) and it never fail to be interesting and entertaining thanks to it smart twist and specially it quirky character . interestingly and there an obvious gay subtext that while stereotypical and it never denigrate and it genuinely funny at time . by 1934 director frank r. strayer be already an experienced craftsman in the poverty row side of the film industry and but his partnership with writer charles belden would give him a couple of his most interesting movie and and the ghost walk be one of them . while obviously do on a shoestring budget and the typical production value of independent film of it time and strayer manages to take advantage of his set and make an atmospheric movie that fit nicely the mood and tone of the story . the pacing be a little too slow at time and but strayer know that the power of his film be on belden script and make the most of it and let his cast to make the most of their character with excellent result . certainly the execution be a bit typical and unoriginal and but strayer make an effective albeit restrain work in this film . a write above and the screenplay be fill with great line that make the quirky character shine and and fortunately and most of the cast play with this to their advantage . veteran character actor richard carle be remarkably funny a cranky producer herman wood and add a lot of charm to his character and specially in his scene with johnny arthur and who play the flamboyant secretary homer . arthur be the one who get the most best scene and and he give and hilarious performance a the cowardly yet witty assistant . john miljan be just effective a presocott ames and nothing amazing and but nothing really bad and and the same could be say about june collyer a gloria shaw ( the obligatory love interest ) and whom be just fine . however and donald kirke be really enjoyable a the malicious terry shaw and and it a shame he do not get more screen time . a usual with frank r. strayer film and the low budget hurt the film badly and a while strayer make the best he can and the film still feel kind of plain at time . however and the main problem be problem the very slow pace it have and as even when the film be fill with sparkly moment of witty dialog and it move at a pace so slow that can become boring and tedious for moment . it also must be say that while effective in their role and miljan and collyer be pretty dull and average when compare to arthur and carle and and one wish the movie have be more focused on the comedic pair they make than on the main couple . finally and a write above the end be kind of weak and not up to the high standard of the first and middle part and although credit must go to belden for keep creative plot twist appear until the very end . one could say that charles belden be an unsung hero of the murder mystery genre and a among the many horror and mystery film that come out the b movie studio nickname a the poverty row and the ghost walk be easily among the best ( alongisde strayer previous film and the vmapire bat ) despite it shortcoming . and even when it definitely not a masterpiece of the genre and it a nice way to spend a night enjoy the way it poke fun at it own origin a a murder mystery play . a very recommended film if you like the genre . positive .