1934's "Bombay Mail" comes from Universal's vintage Laemmle era, the time between "The Invisible Man" and "The Black Cat" (all of which had their music scores pilfered for the later Flash Gordon serials). Bengal's British governor (Ferdinand Gottschalk) is murdered via cyanide aboard the express train traveling to Bombay, so Inspector Dyke (Edmund Lowe) conducts the complicated investigation during the few remaining hours before they reach their destination. A second viewing may be necessary to sort through the multitude of suspects, including an irreverent young woman (Shirley Grey) who might be a wayward Russian singer, the late governor's wife (Hedda Hopper), keeping cyanide in her compartment, and a nervous doctor (Georges Renevent) expert in poisons. Murder victim Ferdinand Gottschalk graduated to crime solver in "Secret of the Château," while prime suspect Onslow Stevens (repeating the role in "The Crosby Case," which soon followed), was best remembered for 1933's "Secret of the Blue Room" and 1945's "House of Dracula." The various comings and goings hold little real intrigue on a first viewing, but once Edmund Lowe makes his initial appearance 17 minutes in, things proceed with much improved precision. Unfortunately, the killer's identity is all too obvious, especially after a second murder, when the Maharajah of Zungore (Walter Armitage) is felled by a bullet in the back right in front of the Inspector. Director Edwin L. Marin debuted with the Bela Lugosi mystery "The Death Kiss" in 1932, plus 1933's "A Study in Scarlet," 1934's "The Crosby Case," 1942's "Invisible Agent," also a pair of Philo Vance mysteries at MGM, "The Casino Murder Case" and "The Garden Murder Case" (the latter again starring Edmund Lowe).
