The Clue of the New Pin: A dusty mystery with a very young John Gielgud

So, The Clue of the New Pin is one of those movies you watch because you're a nerd for film history or you just really like Edgar Wallace. It’s not exactly a 'thriller' by today’s standards, but it has that weird, stilted charm of 1929.

If you want fast cars and big explosions, you should probably just skip this one. But if you like watching people in heavy suits talk very seriously about keys and vaults, give it a go.

The plot is basically about this guy Jesse Trine who is rich and hates everyone. He spends all his time hiding in a vault, which seems like a bad idea if you actually want to stay alive. vaults are basically just pre-made coffins if you think about it.

His nephew Rex is played by a very young John Gielgud. Gielgud looks like he's about twelve years old here, but he’s already got that incredibly posh voice that makes everything sound important.

There is a scene where they discover the body and the camera just... stays there. It stays for so long I actually thought my video had buffered. 😅

Everyone just stands around looking vaguely concerned but not actually doing anything helpful. It’s that early-talkie thing where nobody quite knew how to move and talk at the same time yet.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Clue of the New Pin (1929) through its definitive frames.

The 'New Pin' clue is honestly a bit of a letdown. It’s supposed to be this genius locked-room trick, but it feels like something a kid would come up with in a sandbox.

Still, the way they explain the mechanics of the pin is so earnest you almost have to respect it. They really want you to believe this is high-level detective work.

I noticed one extra in the background of a street scene who looks completely lost. He just walks into the frame, looks directly at the camera, and then awkwardly turns around and walks back. It was way more interesting than the actual mystery for a second.

The movie gets weirdly intense near the end when Rex tries to burn a reporter alive. It’s a huge jump from the slow, polite talking in the first half of the film. 🔥

Suddenly there is fire and everyone is shouting and running around. It’s the only time the movie feels like it’s awake.

It reminds me a bit of the spooky house atmosphere in The Fall of the House of Usher, but way less artistic. This is a meat-and-potatoes mystery that doesn't try to be fancy.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Clue of the New Pin (1929) through its definitive frames.

It definitely doesn't have the style or the energy of something like The New Babylon, which came out the same year. That movie feels like it’s from the future compared to this.

One thing that really bugged me was the sound quality, which I know is a 1929 problem, but still. You can hear the actors' shoes hitting their marks on the wooden floor. Thump, thump, thump.

It makes the whole thing feel like a filmed stage play. Which, let’s be honest, it basically is.

Benita Hume is okay as the girl, but she doesn't have much to do besides look pretty and worried. She wears this one hat that looks like a downed bird was glued to her head.

I couldn't stop staring at the hat. It was very distracting during the emotional scenes.

Anyway, it’s a short watch and it moves fast enough. Perfect for a rainy Sunday when you’ve already seen all the good Hercule Poirot episodes and you're desperate for a fix. 🕵️‍♂️

Just don't expect it to change your life or anything. It's just a dusty little curiosity from a time when movies were still learning how to speak.