Meurtre au chenil

Suicide or Murder? When the much hated Archer Coe turns up dead and is believed to be a suicide, Philo Vance and Detective Heath steps into the scene to find out why a rich man would consider suicide as an option. Things become a bit stranger when Archer Coe's brother, Brisbane, turns up dead in a closet. Vance and Heath enlist the help of poor Dr. Doremus who never seems to get a chance to eat while this investigation is going on. It must be murder - but who and why?!

A film I really enjoyed watching! It's a mystery film that is peppered quite a bit with comedy. Detective Heath is the funniest - and has an outstanding speaking voice! Dr. Doremus is very funny as well! Two of my favorite characters in the entire film.

8.5/10

William Powell, Michael Curtiz, and a good murder mystery make "The Kennel Murder case" an entertaining film. Philo Vance (Powell) does some of his most difficult deducting, and Curtiz's direction keeps things moving quickly.

When rich, obnoxious Archer Coe is murdered, the case causes lots of difficulty for the police. It's bad enough that Coe's meanness gave a good reason for murder to pretty much anyone who ever knew him, but it's even worse that the clues are so complicated that he could have been killed in at least two completely different ways. Only Vance can figure it all out, and after some good twists, there is an interesting and creative solution.

Though basically filmed as a routine whodunit, there are several good features besides the story itself. Powell is as lively as Vance as he was later as Nick Charles in the "Thin Man" films. Most of the rest of the cast is good, too, especially Mary Astor as one of the suspects and Eugene Pallette as the earnest but not very bright sergeant in charge of the case. Everything moves along quickly with many good touches of humor.

Most mystery fans will find this movie entertaining and enjoyable.

The film starts in the Long Island Kennel Club where is murdered a dog,later is appeared dead as a case of committing suicide a collector millionaire called Arched,but sleuth debonair Philo Vance(William Powell)to be aware of actually killing.There are many suspects : the secretary(Ralph Morgan),the butler,the Chinese cooker,the contender(Paul Cavanagh) in kennel championship for revenge killing dog ,the nephew(Mary Astor) facing off her tyrant uncle,the Italian man(Jack La Rue),the brother,the attractive neighbour..Stylish Vance tries to find out who murdered tycoon,appearing many clues ,as a book titled:Unsolved murders. The police Inspector(Eugene Palette)and a coroner are helped by Vance to investigate the mysterious death.The sympathetic forensic medic examines boring the continuous body-count .Who's the killer?.The public enjoys immensely about guess the murder.

The picture is an interesting and deliberate whodunit,it's a laborious and intriguing suspense tale.The personages are similar to Agatha Christie stories, all they are various suspects.They are developed on a whole gallery of familiar actors well characterized from the period represented by a glittering casting to choose from their acting range from great to worst. Powell is in his habitual elegant and smart form as Philo.He's protagonist of two famed detectives cinema,this one, and elegant Nick Charles along with Nora(Mirna Loy)make the greatest marriage detectives. Special mention to Mary Astor as the niece enamored of suspect Sir Thomas,she was a noted actress of noir cinema(Maltese falcon). The movie is magnificently directed by Hollywood classic director Michael Curtiz.He directs utilizing modern techniques as the image of dead through a lock-door,a split image while are speaking for phone and curtain-image.The tale is remade as ¨Calling Philo Vance¨(1940).The film is a good production Warner Bros, by Vitagraph Corp.

The first thing I liked about this mystery movie is that the early minutes of it are packed tightly with lots of storyline. And this is a somewhat complex story, particularly for a time (1933) when such movies tended to be rather light. Pay attention here or be lost! It's also nice to have a different setting...a kennel club (at least early on in the film)! Novel! Philo Vance (played wonderfully by William Powell) isn't as smooth and sophisticated as Nick Charles, and there's not the witty banter between man and wife you find in the Thin Man series, but this is a good character. And, you'll see lots of character actors you'll recognize (although probably not by name). Of particular note is the gravel-voiced Eugene Palette (and if you want to read an interesting bio, Google him). Also look for Ralph Morgan, lesser-known brother of actor Frank Morgan; you'll see the resemblance.

I won't recount the plot. It's almost too complex to do so, but I'll just repeat that this is a sophisticated mystery for 1933! Recommended!

Talented detective Mr. Philo Vance (William Powell) cancels his overseas trip to investigate an apparently cut and dried case of suicide he has good reason to suspect is really something much more, a rather deliciously complex murder!

As far as murder mystery films go, it just doesn't get any better than this one. Populated with suspicious characters, all connected to a dog show and all having very good reason to murder the apparent suicide victim Archer Coe, it's truly tough to figure this one out or wrap one's head around it but boy, does it proves fascinating to watch unfold before us. Even the cops, the coroner and the district attorney prove colorful, fleshed out characters adding a level of unexpected gritty realism to this one's proceedings and amping up its overall "fun" factor. I particularly enjoyed the comic scenes involving the coroner (played by Etienne Girardot), who is always it seems to him being rudely and untimely interrupted by the discovery of corpses or injured men during this one's running time. Also Eugene Palette's Detective Sgt. Heath provides welcome, often later delightfully humorous at his expense, critical commentary during Vance's investigation. I cannot think of any valid criticism to give this movie in fact except perhaps that it hasn't dated particularly well. Doesn't stop the movie from being just plain good fun viewing though. Watch and see if you can wrap your head around this one's mystery. Highly recommended you try!