Héritiers, strychnine et compagnie

A reader answered my message on the message board and informed me that this film was being offered on ebay. I went there and paid $40.00 and now have my own copy which was recorded from TV. I have since put it on msvcd and made a backup copy. I wasn't dissapointed even though it had been almost fifty years and I was surprized at how good my memory had been (or was it the writeups in imdb)? Its just a good old mystery from those years with a little (OK! A lot) of fantisy involved. The people holding this film should release it on DVD as an olde. There are still enough of us out here that enjoy theoldies. DickPowell wasn't singing in this one, but he sure was acting well. My suggestion is if you havn't seen it, you should. If you don't see it, you will be the loser.

In You Never Can Tell, Dick Powell got a chance to satirize his own new image as a tough guy private detective. He's certainly one of the most unusual private eyes that the movies have ever created.

If you didn't know it before, you know it now that animals have a soul and when they die they go to a place called Beastatory. That's what's happened to King when he gets poisoned by some nefarious forces who are after his money. That's right, his money. It seems as though King's inherited a fortune, the former member of the US Army's Canine Corps was left a multi-million dollar estate. This German Shepherd is now the envy of Rin Tin Tin.

In Beastatory when an animal hasn't lived a good animal life they have a most unusual punishment, they come back as humans, an interesting theological notion as I've ever heard. But King makes an unusual request to voluntarily go back and deal with his murderer. It's granted and he's even given a companion, a thoroughbred race horse who comes back as the girl Friday of the detective Rex Sheppard, that King becomes. Of course when he goes back he's now Dick Powell and the race horse is Joyce Holden.

Charles Drake and Peggy Dow are in this film as well, they were the romantic interest a year before in Harvey, the young psychiatrist and the nurse at the funny farm Josephine Hull was trying to stick Jimmy Stewart. The roles aren't quite the same in You Never Can Tell. Peggy Dow was a young lady of much promise who married and retired early after only a few films and the silver screen was the poorer for it.

Powell has some very funny moments especially when he can't quite shake his canine background as a human. But Joyce Holden really provides the most laughs in this film. Hysterically funny moment when she races to catch a bus she just missed. Holden probably broke the six furlong record at Aqueduct in that effort.

This is a very sadly neglected comedy I wish was shown more often. If TCM ever shows it, don't miss it.

The wacky premise of this superbly crafted film is that a German Shepherd, poisoned to permit his mistress's murder, goes to Beastitoria (animal heaven) and pleads to return to earth, reincarnated as private eye Rex Shepherd, to solve his own murder. Filled with witty dialogue, funny bits where the animal "breaks through" the human, this movie stars Dick Powell in a kind of takeoff on his "Murder My Sweet" serious shamus. I have tried to find it anywhere since seeing it in 1951 without luck. If anyone can locate it, please e-mail me.

One of the last of the "screwball comedies." Charming, rather than laugh-out-loud funny. A special treat for animal lovers. Silly, but played straight, this is one of those snuggle-by-the-fire-with-a-cup-of-cocoa (and your dog/s) films. Dick Powell returns to earth to sniff out his murderer, and he'll be dog-goned if he'll let the fellow get away. Yes; it's that bad/good. Cute asides and plays on words/visuals.

Interesting is that two of the leading characters appear in another (the BEST) "animal" film; Harvey.

I saw this movie in the late 50's on TV. I liked it so much that I never forgot it. I have never seen it since. Just recently I found out the title. It is everything a good movie should be. Too bad I can't find a copy. There are tear jerkers, gags, action, and it is fairly fast moving. It is b&w but the material makes up for it. The makers should put it on DVD and offer it. I would be one of the first customers. I will never forget the horse running after the bus.