GrimPrecise I'll tell you why so serious

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Caryl It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Francene Odetta It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

bkoganbing The Phantom Of 42nd Street from PRC is a not too bad murder mystery of a group of people connected to a theatrical company. Theater critic Dave O'Brien is on the job reviewing a play when the first murder is committed. He gets drafted into the job of covering this and the other murders as they are committed. The ultimate target seems to be Alan Mowbray who is the actor/manager of the company and his daughter Kay Aldridge.It all goes back to some dirt done the murderer many years ago by many members of the company both in front of and backstage. The culprit has gone quite nuts about it, no doubt fixating for many years on how he would do the job. It is a he, I'll give that much away.Having a critic be a detective is an intriguing plot premise. Surprisingly the cops seem to warm up quickly to the outside help they're getting unlike in so many of these mysteries.At a major studio this might have been a minor classic with a lot of the holes in the plot not existing. Still for a PRC film it's far from the worst I've seen.

oscar-35 A somewhat pedestrian and unimportant film. Has all the elements of a detective mystery. But lacks any real star-power or memorable features. Probably a good theater fodder during it's time. The plot revolves around a theater critic/detective. There is a watchable group of New York street types like taxi driver, bartender and others. All of these character actor faces are familiar to people who are film buffs of this time. It was part of a three film DVD collection of similar detective mysteries of the 40's. I think this was one of those 'potboilers' films that war-time Hollywood was famous in turning out. Nothing special about this film comes to mind to mention here. The plot is uneventful, watchable, but somewhat droll. I always wanted to use the word 'droll'.

David (Handlinghandel) This is a creative cheapie from PRC. I like Dave O'Brien. He ought to have had a major career in films. He's good here, but I guess PRC was not the place to forge a career.I think I saw this on local TV years ago. If not, I saw many mysteries like it.This is about murders involving a theatrical family. Alan Mowbry, looking quite gone to seed, plays the patriarch. He gets to ham it up a little in "Julius Caesar." Forty-second Street! Wow, are there ever phantoms wandering around! At the time this was made, they were pining for the days of the Ziedgfeld Girl. Then there were legitimate theaters, where plays were performed. Next came years of decline: peep shows, etc. Now it is all cleaned up and is like a vast mall. It isn't much fun. The phantoms will go elsewhere.

Chris Gaskin I've just seen The Phantom Of 42nd Street for the first time and found it fairly enjoyable, but a little talkie at times.A critic and police investigate a series of murders that have taken place on the set of a play. Three people have been killed in all and in order to catch the killer, a performance of Julius Caesar is held. Will the killer be caught? This is an interesting little movie and atmospheric but I found it a little slow moving in parts.The cast includes Dave O'Brien (The Devil Bat), Kay Aldridge and Alan Mowbray (Terror By Night).Though not brilliant, The Phantom Of 42nd Street is worth watching. A good time filler for an hour or so.Rating: 2 and a half stars out of 5.