THE KENNEL MURDER CASE
US, 1933, 64 minutes, Black and white.
William Powell, Mary Astor, Eugene Pallette, Ralph Morgan, Paul Cavanagh.
Directed by Michael Curtiz.
The Kennel Murder Case is the fourth film with William Powell portraying Philo Vance, a debonair New York detective. The films were based on novels by S.S. Van Dyne. Several other actors took on the role of Philo Vance including James Stephenson and there was a television series.
This is the period of Agatha Christie murder mysteries as well as those by Rex Stout, with Nero Wolfe.
The film is brief, sets up the murder situation, offers the audience a number of suspects, proceeds with the investigation and finally has a showdown revealing the murderer. The crime itself is reconstructed for the audience to see – especially because the dead man was shot, stabbed and beaten and found in a room locked from the inside.
The film is fairly basic but very enjoyable. William Powell was a popular actor at the time and was about to join with Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles in The Thin Man films.
Michael Curtiz was born in Hungary, moved to Hollywood in the 20s and continued to direct until the early 1960s. He made tough films at Warner Bros and then made a range of popular films in the 1950s. He won an Oscar for best director for Casablanca, 1943.
1.An entertaining murder mystery? The style of the 1920s and 30s? Agatha Christie, Rex Stout …?
2.The brevity of the film, the range of suspects, the crime, the investigations, the reconstruction, the denouement?
3.The New York settings, the cityscapes? The interiors? The musical score? The opening scenes at the dog show?
4.The focus on Archer Coe, his clashes with everybody? The conflict with his brother who refused to speak to him? The clash with Sir Thomas about the dogs, the rivalry? His possessiveness towards his niece, Hilda, and her money? Raymond as his secretary? Gamble as his butler? Ilyang and the Chinese collection and the resentment about his selling it? Eduardo Grassi and the contacts for sales of his collection to Italy? His liaison with Doris? All potential killers?
5.The discovery of the body, the mystery of the room, the mystery as to what actually killed him? Everybody’s antagonism?
6.Philo Vance, debonair, at the dog show? His travelling to Italy? Coming from the boat, with Sergeant Heath, with the district attorney? The investigation (1930s style and fairly casual)? The coroner and his complaints about being taken from his meals? The forensic evidence?
7.The pursuit of the case, the various interviews? The reconstructions? Philo Vance and his hunches? Sergeant Heath and his obtuseness? The district attorney and his concerns?
8.The various suspects:
Brisbane, antagonism towards his brother, going on the train, the book of unsolved murders, his not arriving in Chicago, his return, his attempt to kill his brother, his engineering the locked room? The mistaken identity and his being killed?
Raymond, the secretary, dutiful, in love with Hilda, wanting to go with her? The revelation of his being the killer? The accidental death, his vengeance, mistaken identity in killing Brisbane? Stabbing Sir Thomas?
Sir Thomas, the dog, the killing of his dog, his love for Hilda, his being the main suspect? His being wounded? His window opposite Coe’s?
Gamble, the butler, not a long time in service, the revelation that he was a conman?
Doris, the liaison, breaking off, Coe letting her have the apartment? Her dog, following her into the house? Her admission of guilt? Her love for Grassi? Grassi, the Italian connections, his relationship with Doris, the interrogations, shady?
Liyang, not under suspicion, a possible suspect?
9.The attention given to details of building up the characters, the police, Philo Vance, the doctor, the various suspects? A satisfying cinema murder mystery?
