Cheap Hollywood Sleuths: The Kennel Murder Case/Nancy Drew...Reporter (DVD) (Michael Curtiz, William Clemens) Price

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Customer Reviews of Hollywood Sleuths: The Kennel Murder Case/Nancy Drew...Reporter

Something For Everyone
The real reason to pick this one up is the fabulous "The Kennel Murder Case" from director Michael Curtiz. "Nancy Drew, Reporter" can just be looked at as an added bonus. While it is far from a five star film, it is fun to watch a young Bonita Granville trying to solve a murder and earn her chops as a reporter. Nancy Drew fans will take exception to the many missing elements from the books, but it is still fun for young kids, and certainly a good one to watch with them as a family. Once the kids are in bed, adults who love classic films, and mysteries in particular, are in for a real treat. <
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>S.S. Van Dine's Philo Vance is almost forgotten today, but the dapper detective was adapted to film several times. "The Kennel Murder Case" is by far the best of the lot. Director Michael Curtiz used that early 1930's soft focus look and a well written and witty script to bring Vance to life in the form of William Powell, who was perfect for the part. <
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>From the opening moments of Vance at the Long Island Kennel Club with his dog, Captain McDavish, this is a classy and breezily paced little mystery. The murder of Hilda Lake's dog escalates into a human murder with lots of suspects. But how was the murder commited, since the victim is found dead in a room locked from the inside? <
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>In steps Philo Vance, cancelling his boat trip to bail out Detective Heath (Eugene Pallet). A young and very stylish Mary Astor as Hilda Lake, and a supporting cast which includes Helen Vinson, Ralph Morgan, Frank Conroy, Paul Cavanaugh and James Lee Liang as the cook obsessed with Chinese treasures, add flavor to this delicious little concoction. <
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>Shady business dealings, spurned affections and valuable Chinese artifacts all play a part in this tight little mystery. Powell's Vance is uptown, cool as a cucumber and fun to watch as he's always one step ahead of everyone else. Vance's solution to the mystery is unique, but the best part is the fun we have getting there. <
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>This is a great little rainy night mystery for those times you're in a nostalgic mood. Mystery lovers don't want to miss this little gem. There is something here for both the kids ("Nancy Drew, Reporter") and the adults ("The Kennel Murder Case"), making this one a good purchase.

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Classic Detective Story
THE KENNEL MURDER CASE is one of the best cinema murder mysteries of the 1930s, a delight from start to finish. <
>William Powell is remembered today as Nick Charles in the Thin Man films, but before that he was suave, debonair Philo Vance in a series of films based on the classic novels by S.S. Van Dine. <
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>As the film opens, you'll find more intrigue at the Long Island Kennel Club than you will at an Agatha Christie British manor. A swanky society crank, Archer Coe (Robert Barrat), seems to go out of his way to insult and bully everybody, including his niece (Mary Astor), his niece's fiancée (Paul Cavanaugh), his personal secretary (Ralph Morgan), his brother (Frank Conroy), his mistress (Helen Vinson), his mistress' boyfriend (Jack LaRue), and his Chinese cook (James Lee). When Coe is found dead in his bedroom, all the doors and windows locked from the inside, everybody thinks he committed suicide - everybody, that is, but our boy Philo, who notices some anomalies in the setting. Not only does Vance have to figure out who killed Coe, though, he also has to figure out how. <
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>Michael Curtiz directed the film, and did a masterful job, keeping the lean film moving swiftly. There isn't a spare second in the film's brief (under 75 min.) running time, and you'll be laughing and guessing along with Vance until the final frame. Did I say laughing? Yes, there's some good comic relief from Etienne Girardot as a grumpy coroner who finds the escalating body count interfering with his meals ("There's too many people in the world anyway!") and gravel-voiced Eugene Pallette as a clueless detective (faced with a victim who was bludgeoned, stabbed in the back, and then shot in the head, the detective whispers to the coroner, "Is there any chance it was suicide?"). <
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>I loved this film, and was delighted to find that - although it's been in the public domain for many years and available on VHS and DVD from many sources - the Roan Group print is superb. Not only that, but the DVD includes NANCY DREW, REPORTER as well. Go for it! <
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Very Good quality DVD of early mysteries!
The Roan Group can always be counted on to bring the best quality DVDs on public domain titles.
THE KENNEL MURDER CASE is sharp and clear with great contrast! The mystery is quite intricate and absorbing, I bought this for the next title but ended up thoroughly enjoying this mystery. You will want to see it again and again to find all of the clues.
NANCY DREW REPORTER is also sharp and clear, but there are a few scratches in the print used (not bad). Still it is an excellent presenation. The story is a bit juvinile, but then that is what Nancy Drew was aimed at.
It is a strange pairing of mysteries.