Calling Philo Vance

Willard Wright had written murder stories from 1929 - 1939, and created the character Philo Vance. Various people played the Vance character in films over the years, and were written under the name S.S. Van Dine. His addictions contributed to his early death at age 51. In our story, Vance (James Stephenson) is traveling around europe under an assumed name, and when they try to keep him in Germany, he escapes and pops back up in America. Keep an eye out for better-known Ed Brophy as his co-worker "Ryan". This one a a remake of Warner Brothers' own very successful Kennel Murder Case from 1933. By this time, europe was getting esconced in spies and a brewing war, so now its all about stolen fighter plane plans. this one has the usual side gags... the bumbling police, and the muttering medical examiner who is called in every time there's another murder. This one has more of a steady plot line, and a smooth plot line, since it is a remake. Pretty good. Directed by William Clemens, who also directed a bunch of the "Falcon" films.