Grand Central Murder

Although this movie stars Van Heflin, you'd almost swear that it's a series detective film. If the names were only changed, I could imagine that this could have been a decent plot for Boston Blackie, the Lone Wolf or the Saint. That's because although the story is told through a series of flashbacks, in most other ways it is identical to a series film. It features the usual daffy lead police detective, his dumber than a tomato assistant, great snappy dialog, accusations that the private eye himself committed the murder, a sidekick for this guy and more twists and turns than any crime film deserves to have! For lovers of the genre, this film is a must-see---especially since Heflin's performance is so good and apparently effortless. While the movie occasionally bogs down a tad here and there (it is a bit too "talky"), it is generally quite interesting and the film's conclusion is truly horrific yet exciting to watch. Good stuff well worth your time.

It was great viewing this 1942 film that was suppose to take place in Grand Central Station, New York City, but 95 percent of the film was produced in Hollywood. Van Heflin, (Rocky Custer) plays the role as a private detective along with his wife, Virginia Grey, (Sue "Butch" Custer) who works side by side with her husband in order to solve many of his murder cases and investigations. Patricia Done (Mida King) plays the role of a gold digger who will flirt with any man old or young in order to get all their money or gifts and turn it all into cash and hid the money, because she did not believe in banks. Mida King made many friends, but also made many men grow to hate her. One man that was not very happy with Mida was Frankie Ciro, (Tom Conway) who owned a night club and made her his star and she walks out on opening night during the second act. Inspector Gunther,(Sam Levene) gives a great supporting role as the policeman in charge of the investigation and has a great deal of trouble trying to find out just who the killer is and even accuses Rocky Custer and many other people in the cast.

When a not so sympathetic victim (Patricia Dane) is murdered in a private side car at Grand Central Station, detective Van Heflin and a crusty inspector (Sam Levene) join forces to solve the case. A neat little mystery yarn, this was an above average B-picture from MGM that gave us an early glimpse of Van Heflin, a young actor who was certainly blessed with enormous talent. Virginia Grey, Stephen McNally, Samuel S. Hinds, Connie Gilchrist, Tom Conway and Millard Mitchell are fine in supporting roles and the ending comes as a satisfying, if not probable, conclusion.

This is the sort of film that played the lower half of a double bill when released in 1942, but even then it was praised as an above average thriller. It moves at a swift pace and is guaranteed to hold your interest.

Not a bad murder mystery with an interesting slant, gathering the usual suspects together in one place to flush out the guilty one takes place at the beginning of the film rather than at the end as would normally be the case. This enables the story to unfold in flashback fashion as told by each of the suspects. Van Heflin shines in one of his early roles. He seems a bit brash in places but otherwise is excellent. Patricia Dane in one of her few cinema appearances does well as the nasty gold digger who is murdered. Sam Levene made good money playing the dumb police inspector in several films of the period including two Thin Man's. So he knew his part by heart. And it's good to see veteran actor Millard Mitchell in one of his early roles.

When I first watched "Grand Central Murder," I reasoned it was taken from a play because that is how it runs. There are a few action scenes involving trains, especially at the end, but otherwise it could all have taken place on stage. This makes the movie very talkative and is a major weakness. I was surprised to see that the screenplay was adapted from a novel by Sue MacVeigh. So director S. Sylvan Simon must be to blame. The script is well-written with many witty lines. Not a bad way to spend 73 minutes.

... and this being a B MGM picture, Van Heflin as Rocky Custer is the civilian sleuth helping the rather befuddled detectives solve a murder, not William Powell.

The picture starts out with a man convicted of murder escaping his police escorts and calling his accuser (Patricia Dane as Mida King), a headliner in a Broadway show. He tells her she doesn't have long to live, and terrified, she leaves in the middle of the show to lock herself in her private railway car. Later she is found dead and, at first, presumed raped.

Unlike the Thin Man movies though, this film rounds up all of the suspects first, and then through them telling their stories in flashback do we find out that Mida was really a pretty awful person and that each person there does have a reason to have killed her. She has been walking on people since the day she hit puberty, and was about to hit her big score in a man with seven million dollars, already planning her Reno divorce before she is even married. The murderer may be guilty of homicide and deserve to go to the chair, but he is probably also eligible for the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian award for disposing of this completely amoral person. Also unlike the Thin Man films, Rocky Custer, our civilian sleuth, and his wife/assistant are also suspects and therefore herded with the others.

The group of suspects is herded from an interview room, to the theatre where Mida worked, and finally to the private car and murder scene itself, usually by Rocky artfully goading and manipulating head detective Gunther (Sam Levene). What is taking so much time here besides the fact that everybody had reason to be glad Mida is dead? The medical examiner is having a terrible time figuring out what exactly killed her.

Having the entire group together the whole time makes the film a bit claustrophobic, but the flashbacks help with that some. Van Heflin is just great here, and stands head and shoulders above the cast with his performance, not that the others are bad. He just takes what could have been a somewhat dull B picture and brings out the best in the other characters, making it almost an A production. Do pay attention to the dialogue - it is fast, furious, and most of it is consequential to the plot. It is easy to miss something.

Just one more comment - somebody in the comment section said that this was a remake of Murder in the Private Car. They share absolutely no similarity in plot other than the fact that railroads are involved. Recommended.