The Canary Murder Case (1929)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

The acting in this movie is really good.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Well, this is the first of four Philo Vance detective stories and it plays like a photographed stage play, excruciatingly slow and turgid. One has to "know" poker to understand Philo's technique of unmasking the murderer and the lengths the true murderer goes to to commit the crime are completely implausible, and impossible to achieve as explained here.All the actors speak and move in slow motion, as was the standard in early talkies, yet Powell is assured and urbane throughout, rightfully making him the star of the film.Louise Brooks had a further peg in her coffin as a Hollywood star by refusing to re-film her scenes, once the talkie version went into production. She appears only in the first 14 minutes. She is seen only in non-dialogue close ups and mid shots, derived from the silent version. To cover we have a stand-in in shadow or back-to, with her lines spoken by another actress, or her entirely out of the shot with the editor staying on her fellow actor while her dubber's lines are spoken.Well-done, but obvious. Again, I must say I just don't comprehend the fascination with Brooks. Any actress want-to-be off the Hollywood streets could have played this role and as well. No talent here at all.

Philo Vance (William Powell) is on the case of a showgirl named "The Canary" who was murdered in her locked apartment. The suspect list includes a number of men The Canary was blackmailing and all were in the vicinity of her apartment the night she died.Unfortunately, the backstory behind the making of The Canary Murder Case is much more interesting than the movie. Originally, The Canary Murder Case was to be a silent picture. But at the last minute, the studio decided to turn it into a talkie. Scenes had to be re-shot and lines had to be dubbed. But one of the film's stars, Louise Brooks, refused to participate. The studio hired another woman who resembled Brooks, shot her from the back, and used her voice for some of the worst dubbing I've ever heard. It's really an interesting story. The result of all this effort, however, is a very uneven film that often feels cobbled together.Getting past the backstory, The Canary Murder Case is dull. It's an early talkie and it shows. They just didn't know how to shot sound. The plot has a reasonably interesting twist near the end, but it is telegraphed so far in advance that it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. Watching William Powell in this early Philo Vance effort, it's hard to believe this is the same man who would go on to play the absurdly (and I mean that in a good way) animated Nick Charles. Finally, the final reveal is so poorly shot that it's actually one of the duller moments of the film. What should have been the highlight is anything but.Overall, a 4/10 from me.

This is not a bad film, but it is not what I expected to see. William Powell's Philo Vance, is NOT the Vance I saw in "The Greene Murder Case" or "The Kennel Murder Case, which are a training ground for his Nick Charles character which we saw in "The Thin Man". This Vance is very much like the Vance shown in "The Bishop Murder Case" with Basil Rathbone (Interesting isn't it that two of the most famous screen detectives (Powell and Rathbone (Sherlock Holmes)), got their gumshoe starts playing Vance?). Like what we saw from Rathbone, he is a much more serious character, and in particular an intellectual. Spoilers ahead: He actually was able to deduce who was the killer of "The Canary" (Louise Brooks), by playing poker, and figuring out who had the type of personality needed to take the risk necessary to commit the murder. My biggest problems with the film, were I knew who the killer was right from the start, and beyond Vance and the law enforcement officials, the most sympathetic characters were Alice LaFosse (Jean Arthur) the fiancé of one of the suspects Jimmy Spottswoode (James Hall), and the killer. That is right, the killer. How many films can anyone think of when the killer is more sympathetic than most people in the film? There is little doubt "The Canary" had it coming to her (Vance said so five minutes into the film). But everyone else? Very unusual. The biggest asset to this film is without question Brooks (Even with only 15 minutes of screen time). She is one of the most immoral women you will find in a film. Very much on the level of a Stanywyck-type villain who uses sex as a weapon, without one iota of decency. In fact, she makes Stanwyck's Lily Powers (From "Baby Face") who does the same thing, seem like a sweet, innocent girl. I am giving this film 7/10 stars (Mostly for Brooks).

Philo Vance (William Powell) aids the police in running down the killer of the Canary (Louise Brooks, looking good but obviously dubbed) a show girl who was planning on blackmailing the son of a rich banker into marrying her. There are an odd assortment of suspects, including a young Jean Arthur (who's not very good) but only one real choice. This was always held out by people I've known to be the best of the Philo Vances, edging out the Kennel Murder Case. I don't think anyone who's said that had seen the film in years because I don't know when the last time this was run on TV. Actually its a slow (you could trim about 15 minutes out of this), dated (there is no music and many scenes were shot silent and sound added later) but still enjoyable little thriller. Its an okay mystery that actually becomes more a how was it done rather than who done it. Is it the best of the Vances? No. Kennel is really good and probably better, and probably some of the others as well, but that doesn't mean you won't have a good time watching it.