We will never really know whom Charles Dickens intended to be the murderer in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, but viewers will have no trouble guessing -- rather all too quickly -- whom the guilty party is in this adaptation of the unfinished Dickens novel. That fact is rather emblematic of other problems with the film's screenplay, which is too often predictable and too seldom surprising. That said, the writers have done a respectable job of transferring the novel's characters to the screen, as well as molding Dickens' sometimes-pagebound dialogue into atmospheric but acceptable screen dialogue. Stuart Walker has directly efficiently and with a touch of flair here and there; it's not outstanding work, but it more than does the job. But where Drood shines is in its cast, led by a typically marvelous Claude Rains, who conveys the lust, shame, desperation, and determination of his character with aplomb. Douglass Montgomery is quite good in a dual role, and Heather Angel is appropriately lovely and timid. E.E. Clive and Zeffie Tilbury also are impressive in supporting roles; one wishes the former had been given more screen time, as his character has been a bit too simplified for the screen. The Mystery of Edwin Drood may not be a great film, but the actors make it decent entertainment.