The Westland Case

The Westland Case (1937)

** (out of 4)

Robert Westland is in prison and set to die in a matter of days when private detective Bill Crane (Preston Foster) decides to take his case. Westland's wife was found murdered inside her apartment with all the doors and windows locked. There were only two keys with one on the inside and the other with her husband.

THE WESTLAND CASE was the first of eight Crime Club films that would be produced at Universal in a very quick period. This was the first in the series that I've watched and I must admit that I was really letdown by it, although I've read that it's one of the weakest in the series. I think the biggest problem is the fact that the screenplay really isn't all that memorable and in fact I'd argue that it really isn't any better than some of the detective films from the poverty row companies.

I think the biggest problem is in fact the screenplay, which doesn't give us an interesting case and it certainly doesn't give us any interesting characters. The Crane character really isn't any different than a dozen other detectives out there during this era and he certainly doesn't put himself up there with the best known. Even worse are the supporting members who don't add much of anything. Throw in some rather weak humor and you've got all the elements for a rather bland film.

Universal launched their Crime Club series in 1937 with The Westland Case. Preston Foster stars as detective Bill Crane with Frank Jenks as his assistant, Doc.

Robert Westland (Theodore von Eltz) will be en route to the electric chair in six days if Crane can't find evidence to clear him. He is accused of murdering his almost ex-wife who was found in a locked room. Her key was present; Westland had the other one. And his gun is nowhere to be found.

There are a couple of new leads, but someone kills the people who have them.

Crane's way of working out this case is somewhat complicated. That's putting it mildly. Nevertheless, it's a good mystery and Foster and Jenks are always fun. Plus there is a character who does a good impression of Mae West.

I didn't see a great print of this, but it was worth viewing.

Theodre Von Eltz has got five days to go before he's executed for sa crime he didn't commit. In a last minute move of desperation he hires a trio pf detectives, Preston Foster, Frank Jenks, and Clarence Wilson.

foster and Jenks clown around a lot in the film, but it's an act to keep folks relaxed so they might make a mistake.

Forensics is the key. The victim was shot with a British Webley pistol which the condemned man owned and it's lost. a lot of this has Foster looking his gun and another that did the job presumably

Good programmer from the B unit at Universal.

Obnoxious detective (Preston Foster) assembles the friends of a man on death row to help prove he didn't commit the murder of which he was convicted. First in the Crime Club series from Universal. Most of these movies weren't connected but three of them feature Foster as detective Crane and Frank Jenks as his sidekick Doc. Crane just annoys me. He's not funny or charming like they clearly intended him to be. His seeming indifference to what's going on gets old fast. The rest of the cast is ok. Clarence Wilson and Harlow knock-off Barbara Pepper are standouts. It's a fairly routine B detective picture. Not bad to kill an hour but nothing special.

PI Preston Foster is hired to prove the innocence of Theodore von Eltz -- also a tough job -- before he hangs in less than a week.

It's the first of three Universal mysteries based on Jonathan Latimer's 'Bill Crane' detective novels. It's a fine classic crime mystery, with Foster gradually assembling the real story, although his conclusions remain a little obscure even after he explains them and produces the witness. Still, for a second feature, it's brief, lively and gets the job done.

It's directed by the under-rated Christy Cabanne. Mr. Cabanne is generally considered a terrible director, but when he had a bit of a budget, he could get some nice effects. He began directing under the supervision of D. W. Griffith about 1913, and by the early 1930s was considered a leading director at the newly constituted MGM. Sound hit him hard, like many of the old professionals, but until the end of the 1930s, he held up his end in programmers and second features. He directed his last of more than 150 features and short subjects in 1948 and died two years later, aged 62.