Initially, I had scoffed at this title's inclusion in Universal's "The Boris Karloff Collection" Set - but it turned out to be a 'B' film with plenty of interest: a fast-moving crime drama which leaves room for characterization, featuring a very good atypical performance by Karloff (playing an inventor far older than his current age).

The film (which demonstrates a novel obsession with gadgetry) could easily have seen the star turned into a criminal mastermind or another mad scientist-type - but he remains a victim, a pawn in the hands of unscrupulous manufacturer Samuel S. Hinds and baby-faced racketeer Alan Baxter. Romantic leads Jean Rogers and Warren Hull are actually quite appealing and the supporting cast includes Edwin Maxwell as Karloff's double-crossing lawyer, Ward Bond as one of Baxter's henchman and Hobart Cavanaugh - who actually steals the film - as a small-time hood who finds himself an unlikely partner to Karloff (his character, nicknamed "Petty Louie", has a penchant for slang with "Are we in?" and "It's in the bag!" as his favorite phrases).

While not a major role for Boris Karloff, this film shows that he could have played nicer guys in his career, if he had never been shown the road to cinematic fame. He plays David Mallory, a kindly, hard working inventor who has perfected one of the first complete security systems of modern times (the 1930s version of those systems that are used in films like MISSION IMPOSSIBLE). Mallory lives with his daughter Joan (Jean Rogers) and hopes that it's marketing will give them the financial security that they have always deserved. But he has been cheated by his partner, Steven Ranger (Samuel S. Hinds) with the assistance of his lawyer Kreuger (Edwin Maxwell). Mallory is torn between seeking legal redress and getting vengeance (a typical Karloff situation, but usually his ego pushes it towards vengeance). Instead, he is befriended by a small time thief (Hobart Cavanaugh) whom he helps by defusing his alarm system in a robbery. Unfortunately this comes to the attention of a major criminal (Alan Baxter) who forces Karloff to do this to all the businesses that are using his system (the "Night Key" of the title).

The story is unique in that Karloff is not a villain at all in this (his actions in aiding criminals are forced on him, except when he helps the fairly decent Cavanaugh). But it's not the only switch in the casting. The real villain in here (except for Baxter) is Samuel S. Hinds.

Hinds normally was cast as a decent man - the father or grandfather of the hero or heroine. He is Katherine Hepburn's father in STAGEDOOR, who arranges her being hired by Adolphe Menjou so she can be "cured" of her acting bug. He is best recalled as the unfortunate father of Jimmy Stewart in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, who founds the savings and loan, battles Potter, but drops dead from a heart attack before Stewart can leave Bedford Falls. Occasionally he played rogues - he is the crooked judge in the film DESTRY RIDES AGAIN. But he goes really full blown here. Also, in the Bing Crosby film DOUBLE, OR NOTHING! Hinds is the sneaky father of a family of would-be heirs, out to sabotage the opposition by any underhanded trick they can come up with. In NIGHT KEY when the system is tested on the night it is installed it catches a small time crook. Hinds is upset by that: "Why can't you be a big time crook?", he shouts at the poor thief. It is an odd switch of the two actor's position from their normal roles.

Karloff was such a good actor (as was Hinds) that their switch in characterizations is carried off well. Not a great film, NIGHT KEY is a very well made minor product: a filler for the movie house program besides the grade "A" productions, the short subjects, cartoons, travelogues, etc. As such it is worth viewing in order to see what Karloff might have ended up doing more of had he had less luck.

This is one of the oddest Boris Karloff films I have ever seen. I don't mean this in a bad way, but say this because the plot is so atypical of his films. Instead of a horror film, it's sort of like sci-fi and comedy combined! Now calling is 'sci-fi' might be problematic. The film looks like it was set in 1937 but the electronics shown in the film really weren't possible for the day--you just need to suspend disbelief and enjoy.

The film begins with Karloff and his daughter excitedly talking about how much better their lives are about to become. It seems that Karloff is an electronics genius and has invented a super-advanced alarm system for businesses. Now he can afford the eye surgery he needs AND give his daughter everything she wants. However, Karloff is soon cheated out of his plans by an old business rival who did exactly the same thing years before--so you'd wonder why Karloff would agree to sell the same jerk this patent! Well, it's not totally unbelievable, as Karloff's lawyer secretly is working for the jerk!! When Karloff finds out the truth, he threatens to do bad things if they don't honor their agreement. The jerk laughs it off and so Karloff, who invented the original system to the company 20 years earlier, uses one of his inventions to break into the businesses with contracts with this monitoring service. But he doesn't steal anything, as he's basically a good man. Instead, he leaves silly messages that the system stinks and can easily be compromised--thus hurting the jerk's reputation. Karloff assumes that eventually the jerk will give in and honor his crooked contract.

In the meantime, two things happen. First, the jerk refuses to budge at all--sending out his goons to harass and threaten Karloff's daughter. Second, real criminals find out about Karloff's device and kidnap him--trying to force him to work for evil. So what is Karloff to do--help the crooks or back off on his attack on the jerk? Well, there's a lot more to it than that and I won't ruin it by saying more.

The bottom line is that the film has clever writing and despite a fantastic story, it was handled so well that you can't help but get sucked into the film. The great acting and breezy direction sure helped--making this one of the better B-films of the era.

Exciting, clever and fun from start to finish.