This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Actor Lloyd Corrigan took a turn directing this little-seen but fun thriller that casts Boris Karloff as elderly inventor David Mallory, who has created a new state-of-the-art burglar alarm that former rival Steven Ranger(played by Samuel Hinds) has bought, but maliciously refuses to put on the market, ruining Mallory because he had married a woman that Ranger had loved. Furious, Mallory plans revenge by preventing the alarms going off in Ranger's stores during minor thefts, but this brings on the unwanted attention of gangsters, who kidnap Mallory's daughter Joan(played by Jean Rogers) to force him to work for them. Pretty good film has a sympathetic performance by Karloff and a good pace, with imaginative story. Deserves to be better known.

...For Boris Karloff goes out of his way to make his point to his former rival who after many years has defrauded him once again, all because of their love of the same woman and Hinds' resentment because Karloff married her and had a beautiful daughter (Jean Rogers) with him. Now widowed, Karloff has perfected an alarm system which Hinds buys, but refuses to install, basically financially destroying Karloff. Hinds isn't too pleased when Karloff's "Night Key" prevents the alarm from going off in a clock shop at the right time (and the security guards are furious when all the clock's cuckoos go off at the same time!) then repeats the same thing in an umbrella shop. But gangster Alan Baxter wants to get his hands on the night key and with the help of the lovable thief Hobart Cavanaugh, Karloff tries to stop Baxter from using his invention for criminal intentions. Warren Hull is the moral security guard working for Hinds who realizes that Karloff has been defrauded and works overtime to expose his boss and win over Karloff's pretty daughter.A fun, fast-moving crime drama with only the slightest bit of science fiction thrown in, "Night Key" is one of those movies with some preposterous ideas that in an alternate universe would seem realistic. Cavanaugh adds some humor to his petty crook, and his atonement after getting Karloff unintentionally involved with Baxter is truly touching. Baxter, reminding me of that film noir villain Dan Duryea, is unique in the gangster film universe as he seems much younger than the usual film gangster. Hinds' vengeful businessman is of course not likable but he has a chance to redeem himself too once he finally opens his eyes to what he has become. Rogers is lovely, feisty and a perfect heroine here. Karloff is a bit more touching here with his almost blindness giving a vulnerability to him that has you rooting for him even when he's actually breaking the law.

David Mallory is an inventor. Twenty years ago, he invented an alarm system that was so good his partner, Steven Ranger, stole his ideas and set-up his own security/alarm firm without compensating Mallory. Well, Mallory has now developed two new inventions. The first is an improvement on his old system – an electronic beam that detects intruders. He intends to sell the improvement to Ranger. It' s not until his old buddy does him wrong a second time that Mallory unveils his second new invention – an electronic key that will allow anyone who uses it to bypass the Ranger security system. Mallory begins using it to set off alarms all over town as a joke to annoy Ranger. But when the local crime boss gets wind of Mallory's invention, he wants it – and not for practical jokes.While Boris Karloff is always welcome in any movie he appeared in, the role of David Mallory could, in all honesty, have been played by just about anyone. The role did not require Karloff's unique talents and abilities. I suppose that's one of the things that bothers me the most about Night Key – you have Karloff, why not use him to the fullest? I understand that Universal owed Karloff a movie, but why make this? Why not put him in something more in keeping with the image that Universal had already built up? It doesn't make much sense to me.Overall, however, Night Key is an enjoyable little b-type picture. The film is nicely paced with rarely a lull to loss interest. Director Lloyd Corrigan does a solid job in that area. And the 68 minute runtime doesn't hurt either. The acting is good. Other than Karloff, I was impressed with Jean Rogers as his daughter and Hobart Cavanaugh as his less than reputable new friend. Though it's often predictable, the plot is nonetheless engaging. While I could have done without the subplot involving the relationship between Rogers' characters and one of the Ranger security guards, I've got few complaints otherwise. Overall, Night Key is not a bad way to spend an evening.

I remember seeing this film on one of the independant channels in NYC. I don't know if AMC ever ran it. It was nice to see Boris in a role where he isn't the monster or villan.In a memorable scene, after being screwed by his former partners, he and a petty crook go to the alarm companys' clients' stores at night, over-ride the alarm system with radio waves from his "night key" (hence the title?) and cause harmless mischeif, such as opening all the umbrellas in an umbrella store. Eventually REAL criminals learn of his device, and force him to assist them in a major heist. He gets away but is injured (I think). At the central monitoring center he sets ALL the indicators to "alarm", so when the night key is used that location shows as "safe". The cops go there and arrest them. He gets possession of his patent on a new system, which hopefully will screw his old partners to an extent greater than they screwed him.A nice little film.