Le Mystère de l'allée Cavalière

This series started out as one of the many experiments in building a detective narrative (where we share the unrolling of the narrative with a character) based on specific personality types. The original idea was to harden the Miss Marple type and recast her as brusque matron with a mischievous bent. And the detective would be a snappy, skinny hardnosed type who ends up a softy with this schoolmarm. In the first episode, they actually run off to get married, a situation forgotten later.

But all these experiments ran out of gas, even the "Thin Man" thread. By this edition, we have a whole different set of goals, and of course a different Hildegard. This woman isn't old, imperious, thickbottomed and selfish. She's a much hipper soul and in any case she doesn't have the focus any more.

And despite there being a younger sister cast for her figure, this is all about the men. And the characters we (as guys) create. Its nothing more than that, and as big as that. (The plot revolves around an exhusband thrown in "alimony jail" because of slow payments.)

Gleason is at his most extreme, strutting with a smile. Its a smile of an actor winking at the audience, something that was passed through (in my small experience) Red Skelton, Burt Reynolds, Bruce Willis.

But the extraordinary thing — and this may not be readable to some — is that it is all done by acting with hats. Its an amazing experience. These are theatrical hats, a bit over-sized. All the important facial expressions have a hat equivalent or compliment.

One of the men actors is a black man playing a specific character type, a dim, stepinfetchit "boy" named Highpockets. In life, it reflects as a stereotype and is harmful because no one can deny racism. But as a character its fantastic and comes less from society directly than a long and honorable stage minstrel tradition, Watch his hat.

There are other "stereotypes," a dumb Irishman, a stilted German... but none as gracefully presented.

If the world were all hats, there would be no problems, no war, except maybe alimony.

Its set in Central Park, though not actually shot there. Too bad.

Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.

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.

When the body of Violet Feverel is discovered on the Central Park bridle path, Inspector Oscar Piper is about to declare her death accidental from a thrown horse, until his friend and amateur detective Hildegarde Withers locates the horse and discovers blood on the horse.

Helen Broderick gives Hildegard a very different slant than did Edna May Oliver - she's more energetic and even more sharp tongued with plenty of great one liners, but I miss Oliver whose arched expressions of dismay at the police stupidity; I loved her voice, too. But Broderick does her best and comes across being on the ball. It's a good mystery, plenty to be puzzled over till the case is solved.

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.

"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!