IT’S GUESS-PROOF!
When a man is found dead inside his locked bedroom, detective Philo Vance (William Powell) does not believe it was suicide. The best and most famous of the Philo Vance onscreen mysteries presents a clever story that eventually results in two dead bodies; itās all connected to a dog show where the first victim and Vance were competitors. Watching Powell figure out the murdererās agenda while crime reporters are on his heels is great entertainment. Exciting and witty, the film moves fast and has unusual editing for its time. Eugene Pallette is a hoot as a very blunt cop who becomes Vanceās assistant.Ā
1933-U.S. 73 min. B/W. Directed byĀ Michael Curtiz. Screenplay: Robert N. Lee, Peter Milne. Novel: S.S. Van Dine. Editing: Harold McLernon. Cast: William Powell (Philo Vance), Mary Astor (Hilda Lake), Eugene Pallette (Heath), Ralph Morgan, Helen Vinson, Jack LaRue.
Trivia: This was the only Philo Vance film Powell made for Warner; the first of his Paramount films was The Canary Murder Case (1929). Philo Vance returned in The Dragon Murder Case (1936).