The plot involves a family (all adults) who, shall we say, are not very fond of each other. Murder attempts befall more than a couple in the group, with Philo Vance on the scene trying to figure out whodunit and how it was done-poison seems the method but nobody can figure out what kind, as autopsy reports show no sign of poisonous drugs.
Along the way Philo has some witty dialogue with Doris (Rosalind Russell), who works for one of the family, where he is teased about his wordy choice of long words instead of saying things simply. Former leader of the trio that became famous as "The Three Stooges", Ted Healy plays the police sergeant who isn't too bright.
It would take four pages to describe the plot in detail as it is far more complicated than 90% of these detective films.
What stands out is that Paul Lukas was an odd casting choice to play someone supposed to be an American-born detective. He speaks with an obvious European (Not British) accent (Hungarian to be specific). Would you hire Andy Griffith to play an English prince? Otherwise, Lukas does OK, but I prefer the other Vances on film.
The best part of this film to me were the many humorous scenes, partly including the maid listening in at every keyhole, tumbling into the room when the door is opened, always asking, "Did you call for me?" Each time, someone in the room said something that announced he/she was about to leave the room, yet the maid never seemed to realize that the door was about to be opened, causing her to fall into the room each time.
But the biggest laughs came from the matriarch of this family, Priscilla Llewellyn. Early in this mostly-dramatic movie are two lines from Priscilla. First, shortly after returning from an auction with several questionable art objects including the mounted head of a deer which she wants to hang in the front hallway because, "we need a hat rack." She gives it to someone and moments later asks her daughter, "Virginia, What did I do with my deer head?
After this, she seeks a place for a porcelain figure of a woman and thinks it might be good on the mantel. But after the butler puts it up there, she looks at it, right in front of the ubiquitous portrait of a man and proclaims, "Oh no, no, we can't have that half-nude woman right next to Father.
Her brother chimes in response, "Oh, he wouldn't mind."
Look for uncredited roles by William Demarest as the auctioneer, and Charlie Chan's # 1 son Keye Luke as a pageboy.
The plot twists kept me from being bored, and the humor made it all enjoyable-but not all that much-I give it a 7.
Along the way Philo has some witty dialogue with Doris (Rosalind Russell), who works for one of the family, where he is teased about his wordy choice of long words instead of saying things simply. Former leader of the trio that became famous as "The Three Stooges", Ted Healy plays the police sergeant who isn't too bright.
It would take four pages to describe the plot in detail as it is far more complicated than 90% of these detective films.
What stands out is that Paul Lukas was an odd casting choice to play someone supposed to be an American-born detective. He speaks with an obvious European (Not British) accent (Hungarian to be specific). Would you hire Andy Griffith to play an English prince? Otherwise, Lukas does OK, but I prefer the other Vances on film.
The best part of this film to me were the many humorous scenes, partly including the maid listening in at every keyhole, tumbling into the room when the door is opened, always asking, "Did you call for me?" Each time, someone in the room said something that announced he/she was about to leave the room, yet the maid never seemed to realize that the door was about to be opened, causing her to fall into the room each time.
But the biggest laughs came from the matriarch of this family, Priscilla Llewellyn. Early in this mostly-dramatic movie are two lines from Priscilla. First, shortly after returning from an auction with several questionable art objects including the mounted head of a deer which she wants to hang in the front hallway because, "we need a hat rack." She gives it to someone and moments later asks her daughter, "Virginia, What did I do with my deer head?
After this, she seeks a place for a porcelain figure of a woman and thinks it might be good on the mantel. But after the butler puts it up there, she looks at it, right in front of the ubiquitous portrait of a man and proclaims, "Oh no, no, we can't have that half-nude woman right next to Father.
Her brother chimes in response, "Oh, he wouldn't mind."
Look for uncredited roles by William Demarest as the auctioneer, and Charlie Chan's # 1 son Keye Luke as a pageboy.
The plot twists kept me from being bored, and the humor made it all enjoyable-but not all that much-I give it a 7.