The Wall Street Mystery

Another Vitaphone short with DONALD MEEK as the criminologist Dr. Crabtree working on a case with Inspector Carr (JOHN HAMILTON).

Again, the solution comes out of nowhere and is one nobody could have expected given the small amount of clues involved. But not Dr. Crabtree. As he describes what really happened, we see the entire event in flashback as he convinces Inspector Carr that he is wrong about the identity of the real killer.

These lifeless little shorts were an attempt to cram a decent mystery into seventeen minutes or so, meant to entertain audiences between showings of the feature films on the program.

Today, they seem like no more than curiosity pieces.

WITH THIS SHORT subject we have yet another example of how diverse and all encompassing the field of the film short really was at one time. With the coming of Television and the accompaniment of the Post War Baby Boomer generation, the short was thought to be only comedies. The very plentiful and quite frequent occasions where the likes of LAUREL & HARDY, THE 3 STOOGES, OUR GANG and the PETE SMITH SPECIALTIES in so many markets via local stations stands a a testimony to this. Of course, there are many other shorts series that appeared so often, but even those were usually of the belly-laugh variety (or attempted).

ALTHOUGH THIS FILM maintains a light tone and definite leaning toward the whimsical, it is deep down a Detective Story. Much in the same manner as the very popular Radio feature called MINUTE MYSTERIES, this movie presents the crime, all the facts and even shows us how the forensic investigation is conducted.

AS ONE MIGHT EXPECT, there was no "Cast of Thousands" here. We have Donald Meek (Dr. Crabtree), future "Chief" of the Daily Planet on Superman TV Series, John Hamilton (Inspector Carr), Frances Dale (Dorothy Paige a prime suspect) and Hobart Cavanaugh ( Martin Hill-also suspected). The cast was rounded out by an actress who portrayed an Irish cleaning woman and a Black comic actor as the elevator operator.

ANYWAY, WE DID enjoy seeing how this little forerunner of these forensic and crime scene investigator series of today. There is a distinct interaction between Messers. Meek and Hamilton in which one was the straight man and the other the stooge As is so commonplace in film of his era, the Doctor solves the case; because everybody's smarter than the Police, right ?

Wall Street Mystery, The (1931)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Third film in the S.S. Van Dine series has a couple men murdered inside an office on Wall Street. Insp. Carr (John Hamilton) believes he has the case solved but Dr. Crabtree (Donald Meek) has a theory that might lead to a major twist. This is another pretty good entry in the series but I must admit that the way the mystery plays out is somewhat weak. The twist in the movie is downright great and you won't see it coming but at the same time you can't help but role you eyes and feel you've been cheated in some ways. The ending didn't make me mad and I did get a smile out of it but it pretty much comes out of no where. Hamilton plays his character a lot tougher than some of the future shorts that I've seen from the series. We also get a touch of humor thrown in with a joke about Sherlock Holmes as well as a black elevator man calling himself "Amos Andy", after the radio show of course.

... says Inspector Carr (John Hamilton) to Dr. Crabtree (Donald Meeks).

In this short, two stock brokers and partners in a Wall Street concern are found shot dead early in the morning, in their offices, by a cleaning lady. Inspector Carr is called to the scene and he calls Dr. Crabtree, a criminologist and asks him to come and help out. They interview a stenographer found locked in the closet and two people swindled by the pair looking for the murderer.

Carr and Crabtree go at this mystery in a little bit different way than other installments of this series that I've seen. Carr is being the "bad cop" by yelling and accusing everyone, including an elevator operator who had no motive. Crabtree is the "good cop" - even though he is not actually a cop - talking respectfully to interviewees and trying to calm Carr down.

The solution to the mystery comes out of left field, and with both Carr and Crabtree seeming to know details they would not have had time to find out about, it is no wonder Carr is asking Crabtree "How the deuce do you know that???". Still the atmosphere and characterization of Carr and Crabtree are fun as always.

When John Hamilton as Inspector Carr arrives at a crime scene which is at a Wall Street brokerage house, literally, before he starts anything he calls in his medical examiner. Hamilton reacts huffily to the thought he can't work without him, but he says that Donald Meek as Dr. Crabtree is his good luck charm. Like Adrian Monk is Captain Stottlemyre's good luck charm.

Remembering this is a short subject and we can't introduce a whole lot of potential suspects, still these guys are good, they solve cases while the crime scene is fresh. And in this one Meek makes a little side visit to the residence of one of the suspects.

There are two victims here, partners in a brokerage house. There is as another reviewer mentions a nice little twist to the ending. I do like the chemistry between Hamilton and Meek.

Once again S.S. Van Dine proves the authorities can solve crimes without the help of another of his characters, Philo Vance.