the old dark house sub genre that dominate the early talkie rarely fail to disappoint when we re view the oldie to day . here be one that provide so very many suspicious character you have to wonder how they will be able to tie up all the loose end in the 6 reel run time . the crooked circle be a gang of counterfeiter and thief who have decide to take revenge on col. walter ( berton churchill ) who have send one of their rank to prison . they decide he must die that very night . meanwhile the colonel own group and the sphinx club and be determine to protect him at all cost . this do not sit well with thelma ( irene purcell ) fiancée of club member brand osborne ( ben lyon and late of the mega budget hell angel ( 1930 ) ) who want him to quit the club and stop endanger his own life . brand promise to resign after save the colonel life . everyone head off to walter newly purchase mansion on long island to await the assassin . the colonel might be the new owner of melody manor but it an old dark house complete with eccentric neighbour ( like raymond hatton a a local hermit ) and maybe even a ghost . top bill zasu pitt be nora and the housekeeper who expect to see a spirit around every corner . throw in a cop ( james gleason ) who be certain brand be a criminal and we have a picture which be pack with action and surprise . you will notice right away that the script writer be at a loss to come up with too much dialog because a lot of character repeat the same line over and over . yoganda ( c. henry gordon ) a hindu mystic ( which movie of that time be load with ) say evil be on the way . many time and i lose count of how often ms. pitt say something always happen to somebody . there be many suspect and two character ( mr. gleason a the stereotype dumb cop and roscoe karns a mr. lyon pal ) who serve a comedy relief . the house itself be appropriately spooky look ( in fact i think the same set be use in the phantom ( 1931 ) ) with lot of secret passage and violin music come out of empty room but somehow you never really get a feeling of danger . maybe it because no one in the movie and and i do mean no one . and be entirely what they seem to be . it all come out right in the end though while but to go into any more detail would spoil it for you . watch carefully for robert frazer ( from white zombie ) and frank reicher ( best remember a capt . engelhorn from king kong ) to pop up among the suspect . the crooked circle be a fun film . some aspect of the plot be predictable and then again several others be not . i suspect you will enjoy it .