The Mystery of the 13th Guest

The Morgan house at has been locked up for thirteen years, ever since the death of the family patriarch (played in flashback by Lloyd Ingraham). There was, of course, the usual rigmarole of mutually antagonistic heirs, a shady lawyer, and a will calculated to make things as difficult as possible for everybody. The dying Morgan had summoned Barksdale the lawyer and all ten of the heirs out to the house to discuss his impending death and its aftermath. Morgan's will was sealed, its contents secret even from Barksdale, and it was to remain so until the youngest of his grandchildren- eight-year-old Marie (played as an adult by Helen Parrish)- turned 21. When Marie turns 21 yesterday, she lets herself into her grandfather's house, she finds it exactly as it was thirteen years ago, except with a telephone installed, which doesn't make a lot of sense in a house where nobody lives. A shot rings out, and Marie rushes to the mysterious telephone to call the police. No sooner has she lifted the handset to her ear, though, than she goes into convulsions and sinks slowly to the floor, apparently dead. Soon more dead bodies follow...

Decent enough mystery with a idea typical of the era, some fine creepy house atmosphere and shadows and a creepy looking killer donned with mask a la michael Myers, however it doesn't really lifts itself above ordinary. Still it's watchable and there's some good humorous dialogue.