The Casino Murder Case

Rosalind Russell saves this movie from being just another '30s mystery out of the mystery machine. Paul Lukas, despite his panache is not a good Philo Vance because of his accent. This is more of a romantic "screwball comedy" type of film than a mystery, but taken in that aspect, it's pretty good. The auction scenes and Alison Skipworth are wonderful. The chemistry between the unflappable Russell and Mr. Lukas is really neat, although in the novels romance never got in the way of a good murder. Whether played by Ted Healy or Eugene Palette, poor Sgt. Ernest Heath never got a fair shake. In the books he was never quite the boob portrayed on the screen. The Casino Murder Case is worth viewing if for nothing but to watch Rosalind Russell on top of her game.

In the wake of the success of The Thin Man, the studios began to churn out scads of little mystery movies that are really more like screwball comedies than problems in deduction or thrillers. This is a pretty good sample of the type, with Rosalind Russell showing a flair for the genre that would be exploited in His Girl Friday. It even takes about 15 minutes or so before anyone gets murdered.

Paul Luckas is fine as the sleuth in the picture. Any resemblance between him and the Philo Vance depicted in the series of novels by S.S. Van Dine is a coincidence. This Philo is charming, polite, and doesn't mind when Roz complains that his mystery stories are wordy and complicated. And shouldn't come as a surprise that this Philo is more seems more interested in Roz than the mystery at hand. The actual crime is mildly intriguing, but the solution is mildly ridiculous.

Treat this as a pleasant way to spend a little more than an hour, and look at cool 30s cars, clothes and decor. Don't look for great art here.

Philo Vance has been played by a number of actors over the years, everyone from Wilfred Hyde-White to William Powell, who portrayed the detective the most. In "The Casino Murder Case," it's Paul Lukas' turn to have a go at it. This is a light mystery concerning some murders within a family. Rosalind Russell is the young woman here, and she does a fine job.

I'm not familiar with Philo Vance in the books so I can't comment on Lukas' portrayal in comparison. However, I suspect that normally, the role is approached with a lighter touch. Lukas is a wonderful and very likable actor, but I think that in the hands of someone like William Powell, the humor would have been mined a little bit more. Lukas isn't heavy-handed in any way, it's just that this type of role isn't a perfect fit for him. All in all, entertaining.

As good an actor as Paul Lukas is, his accent destroys the illusion that he's the great American detective, Philo Vance, and I was conscious of that throughout. The murder mystery gets off to a good start, but then falters when Vance speculates that perhaps it was "heavy water" that was used as the poison, since it was not known if that substance was poisonous. That idea was pulled out of thin air in an effort to explain why people drinking water would be poisoned. I disliked this development, sensing it was just a plot device to keep the movie rolling, and I was right. He mentions deuterium, Harold Urey's experiments, and the fact a quart of the substance would be worth $100,000, but I'm sure 99% of the 1935 audience didn't know what he was talking about anyway. It would have been much better if he came across Kinkaid's laboratory isolating heavy water by accident and then thought about the possibility of its use as a poison.

But I did enjoy some of the comic relief. William Demarest plays an auctioneer trying to convince people that an ugly statue of cupid was made for Louis XIV, even after his assistant announces it says "made in Japan" on the bottom. In a running gag, Louise Fazenda plays the maid who is caught a dozen times listening at a keyhole and sheepishly says "Did you call, sir," each time. And Charles Sellon is the coroner always complaining about the inconsiderate murder victims getting bumped off just when he's trying to sleep. And there's more comedy too.

One of many films with Philo Vance as the protagonist but the only one with Paul Lukas as the famed detective. He isn't a perfect fit as Vance but does a good job nonetheless.

The real reason to catch this is to get a glimpse of Rosalind Russell early in her career. At this point she was starting to get mired in, as she referred to them, "Lady Mary" roles all dignity, stiff upper lip and little humor. This part hints at the skillful comedienne she was to become. This was only her fifth film but the first where her name appeared above the title a clear sign that the studio had bigger plans for her than to be a leading lady in B pictures.

As for the mystery it's not terribly hard to figure out but it's stylishly shot with a good supporting cast.