THE CANARY MURDER CASE (1929)William Powell, Jean Arthur & James Hall |Mystery | B&W | Old Hollywood

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The Canary Murder Case is a 1929 American pre-Code crime-mystery film based on the 1927 novel of the same name by S.S. Van Dine (the pseudonym for Willard Huntington Wright). The film was directed by Malcolm St. Clair, with a screenplay by Wright (under the Van Dine pseudonym), Albert Shelby LeVino, and Florence Ryerson. William Powell starred in the role of detective Philo Vance, with Louise Brooks co-starred as "The Canary"; Jean Arthur, James Hall, and Charles Lane also co-starred in other principal roles.

The first film to feature the Vance character, the film revolves around Vance's investigation into the murder of a conniving showgirl. It is a prime example of many films initially produced as a silent film before being turned into a "talkie", as the format quickly became the industry norm. The film was instrumental in expanding the career of Powell, who had previously been known in villain roles. Conversely, Brooks' refusal to participate in the sound reshoots famously led to controversy from which her career never recovered; her role was dubbed by Margaret Livingston, the first film debuted by Dennis Morgan.

Synopsis

Charles Spottswoode is happy when his son Jimmie breaks off his affair with conniving showgirl Margaret O'Dell – known as "The Canary" – and reconciles his engagement with her co-star and neighbor Alice La Fosse. Spottswoode goes to see The Canary to bribe her to leave Jimmie alone, but she declines his offer; she wishes to marry Jimmie to further her ambitions of joining the social elite. She threatens to reveal Jimmie's embezzlement from the elder Spottswoode's bank if Jimmie marries Alice, and despite his pleading, refuses to negotiate. After Spottswoode leaves, she telephones two club patrons she has been blackmailing, Cleaver and Mannix, to demand one final generous gift from each of them by the next day; she makes the same request of "creepy" admirer Dr. Lindquist. Her former husband Tony Skeel – who has broken out of prison and into her apartment and has overheard her phone calls – demands half of the blackmail. She refuses to give him anything, even after he hits her. The following night around midnight, Spottswoode visits her again, but is again unable to change her mind. After he reaches the lobby of her building, he and another person hear screams from her place. They knock on the door, but she assures them that she is fine. Cleaver, Mannix and Lindquist are all shown lurking about her apartment building late that night.

Skeel, who witnessed the murder while hiding in the closet, sends the killer several blackmail letters. He too is strangled. A pen found at the scene has Jimmie's name on it, so Heath arrests him for the murder. Jimmie then confesses to both murders, but Vance knows better. He telephones Charles Spottswoode with the news and suggests they meet in an hour. Spottswoode speeds to the city from his country estate to confess, but his chauffeur makes a fatal mistake by trying to beat a train to a crossing, and Spottswoode is killed. Now Vance has to show how Charles murdered the Canary in order to free Jimmie. He is able to prove that the Canary was dead before Spottswoode left her apartment that night. Spottswoode had made a recording (Vance speculates it was Spottswoode himself pretending to be the woman) to fool a stuttering witness into believing the Canary was alive after her death. The recording is found in the apartment, and Jimmie is released.

Cast & Crew

Philo Vance and all the film's major suspects during a poker scene—clockwise, the characters seen are Philo Vance, Charles Spottswoode, Louis Mannix, Dr. Ambrose Lindquist, John Cleaver, and Jimmie Spottswoode
William Powell as Philo Vance
Jean Arthur as Alice La Fosse
James Hall as Jimmie Spottswoode
Louise Brooks as "The Canary" [Margaret O'Dell]
Margaret Livingston provided the voice of The Canary uncredited, and was a double for some reshot scenes.
Charles Willis Lane as Charles Spottswoode
Lawrence Grant as John Cleaver
Gustav von Seyffertitz as Dr. Ambrose Lindquist
E. H. Calvert as District Attorney Markham
Eugene Pallette as Sergeant Ernest Heath
Ned Sparks as Tony Skeel
Louis John Bartels as Louis Mannix

Directed by: Malcolm St. Clair
Written by: S. S. Van Dine, Albert Shelby LeVino, Florence Ryerson, Herman J. Mankiewicz
Based on: The Canary Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine
Produced by: Louis D. Lighton
Cinematography: Harry Fischbeck, Cliff Blackstone
Edited by: William Shea
Music by: Karl Hajos
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: February 16, 1929
Running Time: 82 minutes
Country: United States
Language: English