Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalHispanic Heritage MonthIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Dragon Murder Case

  • 1934
  • Approved
  • 1h 7m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
855
YOUR RATING
Margaret Lindsay, Eugene Pallette, Lyle Talbot, and Warren William in The Dragon Murder Case (1934)
Suspense MysteryComedyCrimeMystery

The Stamm family gives a small party prior to daughter Bernice's marriage to socialite Monty, but all of the guests seem to be against the match.The Stamm family gives a small party prior to daughter Bernice's marriage to socialite Monty, but all of the guests seem to be against the match.The Stamm family gives a small party prior to daughter Bernice's marriage to socialite Monty, but all of the guests seem to be against the match.

  • Director
    • H. Bruce Humberstone
  • Writers
    • S.S. Van Dine
    • F. Hugh Herbert
    • Robert N. Lee
  • Stars
    • Warren William
    • Margaret Lindsay
    • Lyle Talbot
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    855
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • H. Bruce Humberstone
    • Writers
      • S.S. Van Dine
      • F. Hugh Herbert
      • Robert N. Lee
    • Stars
      • Warren William
      • Margaret Lindsay
      • Lyle Talbot
    • 29User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos56

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 50
    View Poster

    Top cast24

    Edit
    Warren William
    Warren William
    • Philo Vance
    Margaret Lindsay
    Margaret Lindsay
    • Bernice
    Lyle Talbot
    Lyle Talbot
    • Dale Leland
    Eugene Pallette
    Eugene Pallette
    • Sgt. Heath
    Helen Lowell
    Helen Lowell
    • Mrs. Stamm
    Robert McWade
    Robert McWade
    • Markham
    Robert Barrat
    Robert Barrat
    • Rudolph Stamm
    Dorothy Tree
    Dorothy Tree
    • Ruby Steele
    George E. Stone
    George E. Stone
    • Ken Tatum
    Etienne Girardot
    Etienne Girardot
    • Dr. Doremus
    George Meeker
    George Meeker
    • Monty Montague
    Robert Warwick
    Robert Warwick
    • Dr. Halliday
    William B. Davidson
    William B. Davidson
    • Greeff
    • (as William Davidson)
    Arthur Aylesworth
    Arthur Aylesworth
    • Trainor - Stamm's Butler
    Charles C. Wilson
    Charles C. Wilson
    • Detective Hennessey
    • (as Charles Wilson)
    Milton Kibbee
    Milton Kibbee
    • Service Station Attendant
    • (uncredited)
    Wilfred Lucas
    Wilfred Lucas
    • Police Sergeant
    • (uncredited)
    Sam McDaniel
    Sam McDaniel
    • Steam Room Attendant
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • H. Bruce Humberstone
    • Writers
      • S.S. Van Dine
      • F. Hugh Herbert
      • Robert N. Lee
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews29

    6.3855
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    Michael_Elliott

    Highly Entertaining

    Dragon Murder Case, The (1934)

    *** 1/2 (out of 4)

    William Warren takes over the role of Philo Vance in this entry, which plays more like a horror film than just a mystery. A world class swimmer jumps into a pool during a party and never comes up. The next day the pool is drained but there isn't a body so various people are looked at as suspects but certain clues lead to a legend dealing with an Indian dragon monster. The Kennel Murder Case is the best known film in the series but this one here is just as exciting and entertaining. Warren is terrific in the role of Vance bringing his usual charm and brains to the role. The supporting cast including Lyle Talbot, Margaret Lindsay, Robert McWade and George E. Stone are all terrific but it's the overweight and funny talking Eugene Palette that steals the show. The mystery behind the killing remains interesting throughout the entire film and all the horror elements ranging from ghosts to dragons to a crazy old woman play out very well. This is certainly one of the better mysteries I've seen from this period.
    7robert-temple-1

    A murky pool of mystery

    This is the seventh Philo Vance film, the first after the retirement of William Powell from the lead role, and the first and only one starring Warren William as Vance. William is very insouciant and droll, more so than Powell was. (Powell had not yet fully found himself, as he had not become the future Powell of the Thin Man films. But then, he had not found his Loy yet either, with whom he was later to create his ALL-LOY of magic, fusing his silver with her gold.) William also has greater warmth and manages a far better rapport with Eugene Palette as the idiotic Sergeant Heath. When Palette keeps boasting of 'my knowledge of criminality', William genuinely grins sympathetically and teases him very gently like a friend. This works very well, since in previous films, Palette had been floundering around like a stranded fish and over-acting to an embarrassing extent, and Powell never engaged with him. On the other hand, this film lacks the effectiveness of the coroner's grumbling except with exasperation. In the previous film (THE KENNEL MURDER CASE, 1933, see my review) we saw him (played by Etienne Girardot, who despite his French name was born in London and in his films is 'as American as apple pie') being interrupted at his meals and rushing off to examine bodies, but this time that standing joke is taken for granted, no screen time is given actually to showing his frustrations, which are merely referred to in occasional lines of dialogue, and hence that comic sub-plot does not work nearly as well. The story line of this film is however a superior and unusually mysterious one. It concerns a sinister and mysterious pool behind a large house which they call 'the Dragon Pool'. People swim in it all the time, treating it as a swimming pool, but it is a natural feature, not an excavated pool, and it has bizarre features. It links to extended sink holes beyond, and is said to contain a mysterious aquatic dragon who comes out at night and occasionally eats people who dare to swim after dark. This is said to be an ancient Indian legend, and the pool was reputed to have been regarded by the Indians with awe and fear. The film concerns the disappearance and presumed murder of one of the characters who dove into the pool one evening and never reappeared. The pool is drained but nothing is found. An eccentric rich man lives in the house, whose sitting room is full of identical fish tanks (a low budget prevented these from being properly effective, and they look cheap and unconvincing) which contain rare and exotic fish. There are several scenes where the man and his visitors watch 'Japanese fighting fish' killing one another in tanks. That certainly sets a sinister tone at the very beginning of the film. This is definitely a superior Vance film, and the story is so unusual that it could be remade as a very effective modern film if the right people realized its possibilities.
    6aimless-46

    A Water Dragon and a Loony Grandmother

    "The Dragon Murder Case" (1934) is not nearly as weak as some of these comments would lead you to believe. It should be cut some slack based on when it was made (it has Code Certificate #109) and viewed from the perspective of its intended audience. At the time its claim to fame was as a murder mystery packaged inside a lot of clever misdirection. For today's viewers, these sorts of twists will seem rather routine. Not so forgivable are several huge plot holes but as long as you are suspending disbelief anyway….

    There is even a (Stanley) Kubrick-style subtext about Native Americans although they don't take it as far as he did in "The Shining".

    This is a Philo Vance story (basically an early version of William Powell's Nick Charles character) with Warren Williams replacing Powell. Williams is nothing exceptional but the supporting cast and the production design are quite good. Eugene Palette (Friar Tuck) steals all his scenes with the funniest lines and the best delivery; his stuff alone makes the film worth viewing. The quotes section has his line about women generally speaking. Helen Lowell has a lot of fun playing the loony grandmother; she was born in 1866-wonder how many pre-1870 actors can claim lines in a talking picture. Margaret Lindsay is extremely beautiful as she was in "Jezabel" (1938); beautiful enough to stand out from all but a handful of her contemporaries.

    Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
    7bkoganbing

    Was Philo Vance Getting Into The Realm of Science Fiction?

    At one of those closed gatherings of suspects so popular in murder mysteries where a whole lot of the guests have good enough reason to do the victim in, George Meeker dives into a swimming pool and does not emerge. The disappearance is enough to call in the District Attorney, Robert McWade who just happens to be out on the town with famous private detective Philo Vance in this film played by Warren William.

    One thing about the Philo Vance series that I always found amusing was that the District Attorney and the police in the person of Sergeant Heath, Eugene Palette, never are too proud to accept and be grateful for the help that super sleuth Vance gives them. They were anticipating Adrian Monk by a couple of generations.

    Of course the body is found later on with the appearance that he may have been done in by something terrifying and unknown. The pool is not a pool in the usual sense, it's a dammed up stream and legends have it that a monster lived down there back in the days when the Indians were the only ones around.

    Philo Vance was getting into science fiction it seemed. But of course he does solve the case and the culprit is quite human with some very human motives for the crime.

    S.S. Van Dine for reasons I can't explain sold his various novels piecemeal to different studios. Which is why there are so many Vances on the screen. Warren William is one of the best of them.

    This particular Vance is not one of the best, but it's still a pretty good mystery though fans of mystery films I think will figure out early on who the murderer is.
    6masercot

    Came For the Warren William But All I Got Was Dragons

    I've seen two of the Philo Vance movies and I've been disappointed with both. It isn't the actors involved. Warren William will always be the best Perry Mason, in my opinion; and, William Powell is one of my favorite leading men. The acting in this movie was great; it was the writing that failed, however.

    Movies were still in their infancy, so I can understand a whodunnit set up like a stage play. But, Philo Vance had literally no personality. It was as if George Lucas had directed it. "Whatever you do, DON'T draw attention to yourself".

    On the plus side, the underwater parts were excellent and the insane aunt set a higher bar for movie lunatics, I can tell you.

    Best Emmys Moments

    Best Emmys Moments
    Discover nominees and winners, red carpet looks, and more from the Emmys!

    More like this

    The Casino Murder Case
    6.1
    The Casino Murder Case
    The Garden Murder Case
    6.0
    The Garden Murder Case
    The Case of the Howling Dog
    6.9
    The Case of the Howling Dog
    The Benson Murder Case
    6.0
    The Benson Murder Case
    The Bishop Murder Case
    6.0
    The Bishop Murder Case
    The Greene Murder Case
    6.3
    The Greene Murder Case
    Penguin Pool Murder
    6.9
    Penguin Pool Murder
    The Canary Murder Case
    5.9
    The Canary Murder Case
    Don't Bet on Blondes
    6.1
    Don't Bet on Blondes
    The Kennel Murder Case
    6.8
    The Kennel Murder Case
    Come on Danger
    5.8
    Come on Danger
    Murder on the Blackboard
    6.7
    Murder on the Blackboard

    Related interests

    James Stewart in Rear Window (1954)
    Suspense Mystery
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Tropical fish were not yet popular in Southern California, but they were called for in the script, as one of the film's most important sets was a solarium filled with fish tanks, most remarkably, Siamese fighting fish. Pet stores did not stock them as there was no demand. Then an advanced collector located in the San Fernando Valley agreed to have his collection rented. The appearance of tropical fish in this film was the spark that boosted tropical fish sales nationwide.
    • Goofs
      When Vance is in the Stamm Family Vault, the only source of light is his flashlight. He bends over and moves down toward the floor to pick something up. The circular light should get smaller as he moves closer to the floor, but it doesn't.
    • Quotes

      Dr. Doremus: [to Markham, angered that there is no body] I can't perform an autopsy on a theory! I'm a coroner, not a philosopher!

    • Connections
      Followed by The Casino Murder Case (1935)
    • Soundtracks
      Without That Certain Thing
      (1933) (uncredited)

      Written by Max Nesbitt and Harry Nesbitt

      Played during the first scene in the house

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 25, 1934 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Mysteriet med den hämnande draken
    • Filming locations
      • Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • First National Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 7m(67 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.