A Shot in the Dark: A strange little mystery that's better than you'd expect

Is this worth your time?

If you like old-school mysteries that don't try to be too clever with modern pacing, you might actually enjoy this. It isn't a masterpiece, but it’s got a weird, cold heart. If you hate black-and-white films that feel like they were filmed in a drafty theater, skip it. You will probably find it slow. Or just boring.

The whole thing starts with a student found hanging. It’s the classic setup. But then the coroner—or whoever is poking at the body—finds that needle. A giant, sharp needle right through the back of the skull. That is a pretty wild way to go.

It’s funny, I was watching this and thinking about The Still Alarm. Not because they are the same, but because there is that same dusty, stagey feel to the dialogue. Everyone speaks like they are reading off a placard.

The pacing is a bit of a mess, honestly. Some scenes just drag on while characters stand around in rooms that look like they haven't been dusted since the invention of the wheel. You can almost see the actors waiting for their turn to walk across the frame. It’s charming in a way, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Odd moments that caught my eye:

• The way the noose just looks completely unnecessary once the needle is mentioned.
• The lighting in the library scene is so flat it looks like a paper cutout.
• One of the side characters walks in, says three words, and leaves. Why? Who knows.
• I swear the background extra in the second act is just falling asleep.

There’s a real lack of urgency here. You’d think a murder involving a death-needle would make people run around a bit more. Instead, they sit in chairs and talk about it. A lot.

It’s not as energetic as Hard Luck, that’s for sure. It’s more of a sit-down-and-listen kind of film. If you want high-speed chases, go elsewhere.

Still, the reveal is weirdly brutal for the time. Whoever came up with the needle-to-the-skull idea clearly wanted to make sure the victim didn't get back up. It’s a mean little detail that elevates the whole thing above the standard "who-done-it" pile.

Don't expect it to change your life. It’s just a movie. A dusty, strange, oddly violent movie that feels like it was lost in a trunk somewhere for eighty years. Sometimes that’s enough.