Murder on a Bridle Path

Violet Feverel is found dead on the Central Park bridle path. Police Insp. Oscar Piper (James Gleason) is ready to declare it an accident until his friend, amateur detective Hildegarde Withers (Helen Broderick), uncovers more clues. Together, they work to solve the case.

It's the fourth movie in the Hildegarde Withers series. This is Broderick's only performance in the lead role. She plays it like a strict school teacher. It's fine. She's no Edna May Oliver. She's not having enough fun with the role. The investigation is rather slow and static. Without Edna May, there isn't enough in this one.

This fourth movie in the Hildegarde Withers-Oscar Piper series has Helen Broderick replacing Edna May Oliver in the Withers role. She's the most sophisticated of the three who played the role (the other was ZaSu Pitts) but I still enjoyed the banter she has with James Gleason, who played Piper in the entire series. The plot is a bit hard to follow (I watched it twice to clear up some points) and it is impossible to determine or even guess who the killer is. That didn't bother me, since I had fun with lots of comedy in the film. Willie Best has his usual steroetyped negro role and James Donlan plays the more-or-less inept detective. I particularly enjoyed the red herring of the pipe, which eventually reveals how to tell if a person has false teeth.

"It would be you," Inspector Piper nods the moment he turns and sees Hildegarde Withers arriving on the scene. "It's gotten so, Hildegarde, a person can't be killed within the city limits without your showing up."

This is, indeed, the fourth murder case on which Miss Withers assists, critiques, leads, follows, and just generally offers suggestions to her crusty detective friend. James Gleason's Oscar Piper is once again easily chagrined but grudgingly respectful of Miss Withers' detecting skills; Helen Broderick takes on the role of school teacher and amateur sleuth Hildegarde Withers for the first and only time. This Withers is a bit less tart and somewhat more conscious of her own wittiness than the earlier Withers (as portrayed by Edna May Oliver). Broderick and Gleason quickly establish a rapport and relationship that—as in the earlier films in the series—is easily our primary reason for watching.

The plot involves the death of society girl Violet Feveral, played (albeit briefly) with delicious nastiness by Sheila Terry. Suspects abound—this Violet was, in the best whodunit tradition, wildly unpopular and had handed out insults and injuries to numerous other characters in the hours and days before her death. The familiar faces in the lineup of suspects include Louise Latimer as a sister to the victim; John Carroll as a family employee; and Leslie Fenton, who is quite good as the nervous ex-husband who has just been mysteriously released from jail. Willie Best stands out in his usual thankless role as a stable boy who may have a clue or two; his deadpan delivery when answering questions (What was he doing in jail? "Shooting craps." No, what was he in jail for? "Shooting craps.") squeezes the maximum out of a role that's otherwise a lame stereotype.

The mystery itself is not particularly inventive or suspenseful; however, the story moves along briskly and the actors and script are competent if not brilliant. The interaction between Gleason and Broderick is clearly presented as the center of the picture—and that relationship between a couple of pros is a lot of fun to watch. (One example: Oscar suggests that the murder was a "crime of passion," to which Hildegarde snaps, "Oscar, don't you think we'd better try to keep this case clean?")

Bonus: we are instructed what can be learned about a person from examining his pipe!

Murder on a Bridle Path (1936)

** (out of 4)

The fourth film in RKO's Hildegarde Withers series was the first after Edna May Oliver stepped away from the part and was replaced by Helen Broderick for the first and only time. In the film a society woman is out riding her horse when she's thrown from it and then murdered. Detective Piper (James Gleason) thinks it's a simple case of her being killed by the fall but Withers comes across the scene and notices that the woman was murdered after the fall. The two team up to track down the usual suspects. MURDER ON A BRIDLE PATH isn't as bad as its reputation but at the same time there's no question that it's a major fall from the previous three movies. There's no doubt that Broderick isn't nearly as good as Edna May Oliver but she isn't too bad here. I thought she was decent for what was being asked as she has no problem playing the smart woman and she at least makes us believe she's a lot smarter than Piper for what that's worth. As usual Gleason is very good in his part as the rather slow Detective who is always one step behind the lady. While both actors do a fine job, the same can't be said with their comic timing and chemistry. I think what really hurts the movie is the fact that the two don't share the same spark as in the previous three films. The screenplay isn't the greatest thing either because there's never any clear case of who the killer is and when he's revealed it really seems like a stretch. As is the case in most weaker written mysteries, the police and Withers would have never found out had the killer not given himself away and of course breaking to the point where he tells everything. In the end this film is pretty much on par with the majority of "B" mysteries that were released throughout the decade but at the same time it also makes you appreciate the first three films for how special they were.

Veteran Dorothy Yost co-wrote this mystery, who penned many enjoyable films, including productions for Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. So it's no surprise that Helen Broderick (who worked with the famous duo) was a shoe-in for the lead, replacing spunky Edna May Oliver as Hildegard Withers. Oliver left RKO for obviously bigger projects in her marvelous career, case in point having just appeared opposite WC Fields in DAVID COPPERFIELD and next A TALE OF TWO CITIES and ROMEO AND JULIET. What movies!

I do agree with the last reviewer that if you had NOT seen the earlier films starring Oliver, you would have apprecaited this entry even more. It's not all that bad, and even a tad creepy in spots, however Broderick's portrayal of the clever female detective is not the same as Olivers. While the latter employed wise-cracks and priceless frowns, Helen Broderick appears more calculating, seemingly taking mental notes of suspects, and strangely appears to have less dialogue. At times she is over-shadowed by detective James Gleason, who supplies all the one liners. Broderick, a very good actress in her own right, looks the part, but you are definitely thinking Edna May Oliver.

Still, it's an interesting late night mystery, all about an unpopular socialite who takes a horse ride --and never comes back. It will definitely keep you guessing (many suspects at large), and the suspenseful ending was exceptionally written. This is perhaps Broderick's best scene. Also, the supporting cast is very good. Comedian Zasu Pitts took over the lead in the next entry. This is in a super dvd box set of Hildegard Withers mysteries, not to be missed.