Philo Vance's Gamble

Private Detective Philo Vance (Alan Curtis ) gets involved with a succession of murders and a mystery concerning the disappearance of an emerald that has been smuggled into the United States.

Philo Vance's Gamble is a decent, if a little confusing and sometimes hard to keep up with the twist and turns ( or maybe it's just me!). It's quite watchable, well-paced with a killer who likes to poke guns through curtains and fire away; one of the victims is a heel who upsets Vance by spreading it around that he's protecting his diamond. Alan Curtis is adequate in the role of Philo Vance, though his character is more PI than a debonair Detective.

1947's "Philo Vance's Gamble" came second in PRC's brief three picture series (shot Nov 1946), but was issued first (Apr 13 '47), again with Alan Curtis as Vance, and Frank Jenks as comic sidekick Ernie Clark, more helpful this time. Almost as good as "Philo Vance's Secret Mission," particularly in its well thought out solution, Vance calls upon smuggler Jeffrey Connor (Dan Seymour) to learn why Connor has been spreading the word that he's hired the great detective as a bodyguard. Right after Connor signs a check for 'pain and suffering,' he is shot dead by an unseen assailant, who swiftly kayos Vance while he's still on the floor. Just like the first feature, Vance must clear himself by solving the mystery, supported by a veteran cast that 'B' movie lovers will appreciate. Returning from "Secret Mission" are Tala Birell (criminally wasted here) and Toni Todd, while Vivian Austin would be back for the third entry, "Philo Vance Returns." Joseph Crehan plays the District Attorney, who actually mentions D. A. Markham, a fixture from all earlier Vance features. Other capable performers include Cliff Clark, James Burke, Gavin Gordon, Francis Pierlot, Grady Sutton, and especially Karolyn Grimes, coming off her iconic role as little Zuzu in "It's a Wonderful Life." William Wright would take over the title role in the PRC finale, "Philo Vance Returns," making one regret the absence of Alan Curtis, the only actor other than William Powell to play Philo Vance on screen more than once.

I thought Philo Vance's Gamble was a very solid effort, especially for a movie that is a long way down the list of Philo Vance films done. It was a solid mystery, with a little comic relief, good acting and a better than average cast.

I have seen almost all of the Philo Vance films, and besides two or three of the early ones (Kennel Murder Case is a classic), this is one of the better films in the long running series.

Dan Seymour has set up a syndicate to fence a stolen emerald. He plans to cheat them all -- investors and girlfriend and fly off to South America. Alan Curtis as Philo Vance takes an interest; Seymour told theres of the syndicate he had hired Curtis to guard the emerald. Curtis meets him in Seymour's study. While they speak, the lights go out, two shots are fired and Seymour is dead.

As with the other two PRC Philo Vances, it's a well-constructed mystery if not exquisitely produced. Curtis still doesn't look or act anything like the Philo Vance of S.S. Van Dyne's books. He's a middle-class PI who knows all sorts of interesting people. Basil Wrangell directs for speed and efficiency, and the number of interesting performers is kept to a mimmum : Grady Sutton as a secretary, Joseph Crehan as the District Attorney, and Tala Birell as a suspect. At an hour's length, it does what a mystery movie is supposed to do, but no more.

Although this PRC film had its usual bottom of the barrel production values, Philo Vance Gambles might have been a much better film had it been done at a major studio like the previous Vance movies were. Alan Curtis is the urbane and dapper detective who resents false rumors going out about him.

Dan Seymour plays one of his usual oily crooks, he's a jewel thief who has a valuable emerald and he's put out the rumor that Alan Curtis is on his payroll. Not a rumor that Curtis wants to have circulating especially after Seymour and his girlfriend Tala Birrell are bumped off.

Given Vance's outstanding record of solving difficult cases the DA gives him a chance to be his own client. Do you doubt that Philo Vance will solve the murders which total three by the end of the film?

Alan Curtis is hardly William Powell who is more my idea of what Philo Vance should be like. Still he does the job and sad it wasn't in a better produced film.