GRAND CENTRAL MURDER

US, 1942, 73 minutes, Black and white.
Van Heflin, Patricia Dane, Cecilia Parker, Virginia Grey, Sam Levene, Connie Gilchrist, Stephen Mc Nally.
Directed by S. Sylvan Simon.

Grand Central Murder is an entertaining, big budget, MGM supporting feature. It stars Van Heflin at the beginning of his career and features a number of MGM character actors, especially Sam Levene, Connie Gilchrist. It has the Agatha Christie style with the assembling of all the suspects, the flashbacks, the clues being given and the police and the detective working out-the criminal. Brief and entertaining.

1. Enjoyable murder mystery? The Grand Central station setting? The rounding up of the suspects? The interrogations? The flashbacks? The solution?

2. MGM production values, small budget, cast?

3. The focus on Mida - and the origins of her name? Her ambitions, her work, dancing, being looked after? Her relationships with men and her ambitions? Frankie as producer? Turk and his hostility? Her ambition to marry Henderson? The clash with Verness? The career, saving her money, investigation in the show? The encounter on the night of her death, the phone call from Turk, the reconstruction of her last moments? Her death?

4. The range of suspects; Pearl, her memories, being a manager, her ambitions for her daughter? Baby and her being a chorus girl, taking Mida's place - and not doing well? Tough talking Pearl and her seeing Mida again, being snubbed? Going to work for her? Motivation? Turk and the opening of the film, his escaping, his phone call, his relationship with Mida? Fixing of his trial? Custer as his privat detective? David Henderson and his social background, relationship with Constance Verness, attracted towards Mida, the train carriage, the discovery of the body? Constance and her love for David? Frankie as the suave manager, violent, his relationship with Mida? Ramon and his being stepfather, the astrology, wanting money, the Ace of Clubs under the door? His death? Rheinhardt and his work in the railways, marriage to Mide, vengeance?

5. The detective and his being on the spot, relationship with his wife, their working together? Comic team? Gunther not wanting him there, holding him under suspicion? His solving of the case?

6. Inspector Gunther, his flat footed attempts to solve the case, reactions, drinking Coca Cola, his persistence? Millard Mitchell as the comic policeman - and his continued phone calls?

7. Plausibility of the plot? A gallery of characters? Suspicions, clues, solution?