The Kennel Murder Case (film)
Encyclopedia
The Kennel Murder Case is a 1933 American film directed by Michael Curtiz
starring William Powell
as Philo Vance
, reprising the role for Warner Brothers after appearing as Vance in three films for Paramount.
, disappointing fellow competitor Archer Coe (Robert Barrat
), who had hoped to savor a victory over Vance. Coe is found dead the next morning in his bedroom, locked from the inside. District Attorney Markham (Robert McWade
), Police Sergeant Heath (Eugene Pallette
) and everyone else assume it was suicide since he was shot through the head and was found holding a pistol. However, Vance is not convinced. He soon finds evidence that shows that Coe was murdered. Coroner Dr. Doremus (Etienne Girardot
) determines the victim died of a stab wound.
There is no shortage of suspects; Coe was very much disliked. His niece Hilda Lake (Mary Astor
) resented her uncle's tight control of her finances and jealousy of any men who showed interest in her. Her boyfriend, Sir Thomas MacDonald (Paul Cavanagh
), suspected Coe of killing his dog to ensure winning the competition. Raymond Wrede (Ralph Morgan
), the dead man's secretary, was in love with Miss Lake, but had been laughed at when he sought Coe's support. Coe's next door neighbor and lover Doris Delafield (Helen Vinson
) had been cheating on him with Eduardo Grassi (Jack La Rue
). When Coe found out, he canceled a contract to sell his collection of Chinese artworks to the Milan museum for which Grassi worked. Liang (James Lee
), the cook, had worked long, hard and illegally to help Coe amass his collection. He warned his employer against the proposed sale and was fired as a result. Even Coe's own brother Brisbane (Frank Conroy
) made it clear that he despised him. Finally Gamble (Arthur Hohl
), the head servant, had concealed his criminal past.
Brisbane Coe becomes Vance's prime suspect. His alibi of taking a train at the time of the murder is disproved. However, when he is found dead in a closet, Vance is both puzzled and enlightened. Among Brisbane's effects, Vance finds a book titled Unsolved Murders; a bookmarked page details a method of using string to lock a door through the keyhole without leaving a trace. Part of the mystery is solved.
Later, an attempt is made on the life of Sir Thomas using the same dagger used to kill Coe. Finally, a Doberman Pinscher belonging to Miss Delafield is found seriously injured, apparently struck with a fireside poker. From these and other clues, Vance finally solves the crime.
It turns out that two men had sought Coe's life that night. The successful murderer had struggled with Coe, stabbed him, and left him apparently dead. However, Coe awakened soon after. Too dazed to recall the fight and notice that he was mortally wounded, he went upstairs to his bedroom and opened his window before dying. Brisbane entered the chamber, saw his brother apparently asleep in his chair. He shot the corpse and arranged the scene to look like a suicide. However, downstairs he ran into the actual killer, who had seen that Archer Coe was still alive and came back to finish the job. In the darkness, he mistook Brisbane for Archer and killed the wrong man. Delafield's dog then wandered in, attracted by the commotion, and attacked the murderer.
While sure of the killer's identity, Vance has no proof. He therefore arranges for Sir Thomas and Wrede to quarrel over Hilda Lake. When Wrede instinctively reaches for the poker to strike his rival, the healed Doberman which Vance had brought recognizes its attacker and leaps on him. Wrede confesses he became enraged when Coe refused to assist his courtship of Miss Lake, precipitating the initial stabbing.
.
Michael Curtiz
Michael Curtiz was an Academy award winning Hungarian-American film director. He had early creditsas Mihály Kertész and Michael Kertész...
starring William Powell
William Powell
William Horatio Powell was an American actor.A major star at MGM, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the popular Thin Man series in which Powell and Loy played Nick and Nora Charles...
as Philo Vance
Philo Vance
Philo Vance featured in 12 crime novels written by S. S. Van Dine , published in the 1920s and 1930s. During that time, Vance was immensely popular in books, movies, and on the radio. He was portrayed as a stylish, even foppish dandy, a New York bon vivant possessing a highly intellectual bent...
, reprising the role for Warner Brothers after appearing as Vance in three films for Paramount.
Plot
Philo Vance's entry does not make it into the final of the Long Island Kennel Club's dog showConformation show
Conformation shows, also referred to as breed shows, are a kind of dog show in which a judge familiar with a specific dog breed evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs conform to the established breed type for their breed, as described in a breed's individual breed standard.A...
, disappointing fellow competitor Archer Coe (Robert Barrat
Robert Barrat
Robert Harriot Barrat was an American stage, motion picture, and television character actor.-Career:Born in New York, Barrat's theatrical debut was in a stock company in Springfield, Massachusetts...
), who had hoped to savor a victory over Vance. Coe is found dead the next morning in his bedroom, locked from the inside. District Attorney Markham (Robert McWade
Robert McWade
Robert McWade , was an American stage and film actor. From 1903-1927, he appeared in at least 38 Broadway productions, his last being The Devil In The Cheese, with Bela Lugosi and Fredric March...
), Police Sergeant Heath (Eugene Pallette
Eugene Pallette
Eugene William Pallette was an American actor. He appeared in over 240 silent era and sound era motion pictures between 1913 and 1946....
) and everyone else assume it was suicide since he was shot through the head and was found holding a pistol. However, Vance is not convinced. He soon finds evidence that shows that Coe was murdered. Coroner Dr. Doremus (Etienne Girardot
Etienne Girardot
Etienne Girardot was a diminutive stage and film actor of Anglo-French parentage born in London, England....
) determines the victim died of a stab wound.
There is no shortage of suspects; Coe was very much disliked. His niece Hilda Lake (Mary Astor
Mary Astor
Mary Astor was an American actress. Most remembered for her role as Brigid O'Shaughnessy in The Maltese Falcon with Humphrey Bogart, Astor began her long motion picture career as a teenager in the silent movies of the early 1920s.She eventually made a successful transition to talkies, but almost...
) resented her uncle's tight control of her finances and jealousy of any men who showed interest in her. Her boyfriend, Sir Thomas MacDonald (Paul Cavanagh
Paul Cavanagh
Paul Cavanagh was an English film actor. He appeared in over 100 films between 1928 and 1959. He was born in Chislehurst and died in London from a heart attack....
), suspected Coe of killing his dog to ensure winning the competition. Raymond Wrede (Ralph Morgan
Ralph Morgan
Ralph Morgan was a Hollywood film, stage and character actor, and the older brother of Frank Morgan .-Early life:...
), the dead man's secretary, was in love with Miss Lake, but had been laughed at when he sought Coe's support. Coe's next door neighbor and lover Doris Delafield (Helen Vinson
Helen Vinson
Helen Vinson was an American film actress, who appeared in 40 films between 1932 and 1945.-Early life:...
) had been cheating on him with Eduardo Grassi (Jack La Rue
Jack La Rue
Jack La Rue was an American film and stage actor.Born as Gaspere Biondolillo, he worked on the New York stage from 1923 to 1931. He moved to Hollywood, where he appeared in numerous films...
). When Coe found out, he canceled a contract to sell his collection of Chinese artworks to the Milan museum for which Grassi worked. Liang (James Lee
James Lee
James Matthew Lee, PC was the 26th Premier Prince Edward Island . He was the leader of the PEI Progressive Conservative Party from 1981 to 1987....
), the cook, had worked long, hard and illegally to help Coe amass his collection. He warned his employer against the proposed sale and was fired as a result. Even Coe's own brother Brisbane (Frank Conroy
Frank Conroy (actor)
Frank Parish Conroy was a British film and stage actor who appeared in many movies, notably The Little Minister, The Ox-Bow Incident, All My Sons, The Threat, The Royal Family of Broadway, The Young Philadelphians and The Day the Earth Stood Still...
) made it clear that he despised him. Finally Gamble (Arthur Hohl
Arthur Hohl
Arthur Hohl was a stage and motion-picture character actor. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and began appearing in films in the early 1920s...
), the head servant, had concealed his criminal past.
Brisbane Coe becomes Vance's prime suspect. His alibi of taking a train at the time of the murder is disproved. However, when he is found dead in a closet, Vance is both puzzled and enlightened. Among Brisbane's effects, Vance finds a book titled Unsolved Murders; a bookmarked page details a method of using string to lock a door through the keyhole without leaving a trace. Part of the mystery is solved.
Later, an attempt is made on the life of Sir Thomas using the same dagger used to kill Coe. Finally, a Doberman Pinscher belonging to Miss Delafield is found seriously injured, apparently struck with a fireside poker. From these and other clues, Vance finally solves the crime.
It turns out that two men had sought Coe's life that night. The successful murderer had struggled with Coe, stabbed him, and left him apparently dead. However, Coe awakened soon after. Too dazed to recall the fight and notice that he was mortally wounded, he went upstairs to his bedroom and opened his window before dying. Brisbane entered the chamber, saw his brother apparently asleep in his chair. He shot the corpse and arranged the scene to look like a suicide. However, downstairs he ran into the actual killer, who had seen that Archer Coe was still alive and came back to finish the job. In the darkness, he mistook Brisbane for Archer and killed the wrong man. Delafield's dog then wandered in, attracted by the commotion, and attacked the murderer.
While sure of the killer's identity, Vance has no proof. He therefore arranges for Sir Thomas and Wrede to quarrel over Hilda Lake. When Wrede instinctively reaches for the poker to strike his rival, the healed Doberman which Vance had brought recognizes its attacker and leaps on him. Wrede confesses he became enraged when Coe refused to assist his courtship of Miss Lake, precipitating the initial stabbing.
Cast
- William PowellWilliam PowellWilliam Horatio Powell was an American actor.A major star at MGM, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the popular Thin Man series in which Powell and Loy played Nick and Nora Charles...
as Philo VancePhilo VancePhilo Vance featured in 12 crime novels written by S. S. Van Dine , published in the 1920s and 1930s. During that time, Vance was immensely popular in books, movies, and on the radio. He was portrayed as a stylish, even foppish dandy, a New York bon vivant possessing a highly intellectual bent... - Mary AstorMary AstorMary Astor was an American actress. Most remembered for her role as Brigid O'Shaughnessy in The Maltese Falcon with Humphrey Bogart, Astor began her long motion picture career as a teenager in the silent movies of the early 1920s.She eventually made a successful transition to talkies, but almost...
as Hilda Lake - Eugene PalletteEugene PalletteEugene William Pallette was an American actor. He appeared in over 240 silent era and sound era motion pictures between 1913 and 1946....
as Detective Sergeant Heath - Ralph MorganRalph MorganRalph Morgan was a Hollywood film, stage and character actor, and the older brother of Frank Morgan .-Early life:...
as Raymond Wrede, Archer's secretary - Robert McWadeRobert McWadeRobert McWade , was an American stage and film actor. From 1903-1927, he appeared in at least 38 Broadway productions, his last being The Devil In The Cheese, with Bela Lugosi and Fredric March...
as District Attorney Markham - Robert BarratRobert BarratRobert Harriot Barrat was an American stage, motion picture, and television character actor.-Career:Born in New York, Barrat's theatrical debut was in a stock company in Springfield, Massachusetts...
as Archer Coe - Frank ConroyFrank Conroy (actor)Frank Parish Conroy was a British film and stage actor who appeared in many movies, notably The Little Minister, The Ox-Bow Incident, All My Sons, The Threat, The Royal Family of Broadway, The Young Philadelphians and The Day the Earth Stood Still...
as Brisbane Coe, Archer's brother - Etienne GirardotEtienne GirardotEtienne Girardot was a diminutive stage and film actor of Anglo-French parentage born in London, England....
as Dr. Doremus, coroner - James LeeJames LeeJames Matthew Lee, PC was the 26th Premier Prince Edward Island . He was the leader of the PEI Progressive Conservative Party from 1981 to 1987....
as Liang, Archer's cook - Paul CavanaghPaul CavanaghPaul Cavanagh was an English film actor. He appeared in over 100 films between 1928 and 1959. He was born in Chislehurst and died in London from a heart attack....
as Sir Thomas MacDonald - Arthur HohlArthur HohlArthur Hohl was a stage and motion-picture character actor. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and began appearing in films in the early 1920s...
as Gamble - Helen VinsonHelen VinsonHelen Vinson was an American film actress, who appeared in 40 films between 1932 and 1945.-Early life:...
as Doris Delafield - Jack La RueJack La RueJack La Rue was an American film and stage actor.Born as Gaspere Biondolillo, he worked on the New York stage from 1923 to 1931. He moved to Hollywood, where he appeared in numerous films...
as Eduardo Grassi
Reception
Many film historians (including William K. Everson, who pronounced it a "masterpiece" in the August 1984 issue of Films in Review) consider it one of the greatest screen adaptations of a Golden Age mystery novel, and rank it with the 1946 film Green for DangerGreen for Danger (film)
Green for Danger is a 1946 British thriller film, based on the popular 1944 detective novel by Christianna Brand.The book Green for Danger was praised for its clever plot, interesting characters, and wartime hospital setting. The film version, starring Alastair Sim and Trevor Howard, with Sally...
.