Interference (1928) DVD-R

Starring William Powell, Evelyn Brent, Clive Brook, Doris Kenyon, Tom
Ricketts
Directed by Lothar Mendes, Roy Pomeroy

Print: black/white
Runtime: 90 min.
Genre: drama
Print Quality: B

Paramount's first all-talking picture, Interference was dismally directed by
Roy Pomeroy, whose lofty status as the studio's "technical wizard" did not
necessarily qualify him to be a director. Evelyn Brent heads the cast as
scheming Deborah Kane, who sets out to blackmail Faith Marley (Doris
Kenyon), the above-reproach wife of Sir John Marlay. Twisting the facts to
suit her purposes, Deborah claims that Faith is still married to her first
husband Philip Voaze (William Powell), who was presumed killed in WWI.
Inevitably, Deborah is murdered, prompting both Faith and John to
assume that the other has committed the crime. Accordingly, both
husband and wife tamper with the evidence to throw the police off the
trail, but the detective on the case (Brandon Hurst) is a bit too quick on
the uptake. Only the last-minute confession of the actual killer (who has
but a short time to live anyway) saves the Marlays from public humiliation
and disgrace. Based on a stage play by Roland Petwee and Harold
Dearden, Interference was simultaneously filmed in a silent version,
which reportedly was better paced than the talkie adaptation. Years after
the fact, co-star Clive Brook recalled that when Interference premiered in
London, the needle became stuck on one of the soundtrack disks,
causing Brook's character to repeatedly recite the deathless line
"Another of those damned postcards — another of those damned
postcards — another of those damned postcards."