**SPOILERS** When young Monty Montague, George Meeker, disappeared in the Stamm Estate pond while taking a moonlight dip it was at first assumed that he drowned and was stuck, in the thick mud, underneath.
It was when the pond was drained out that to the surprise of everyone present there was absolutely no Monty there! This is when ace sleuth Philo Vance, Warren William, who accompanied the police to the Stamm Estate went into action. With rumors of a dragon, or Locke Ness-like monster, living in the pond it at first is believed that Monty ended up being killed and eaten by it. As Philo started to uncover the evidence of Monty's strange disappearance, as well as Monty's badly torn up body,it became evident that he was the victim of foul play. Not by any sea monster or mythical dragon but someone who really had it in for poor old Monty. Someone who Monty was blackmailing and who just got sick and tired of being under his thumb!
***SPOILERS***The key to Monty's demise had to do with his engagement to Bernice Stamm, Margarte Lindsey. It was handsome and debonair, as well as expert swimmer, Dale Leland, Lyle Talbot, who was in loved with Bernice and the fact that she had dropped him for Monty made him a prime suspect in Monty's murder. It took a while for Philo to get a hang on things but it was a secret key, to the Stamm Family Mausoleum, that open the door to who really killed Monty. The key not only revealed Monty's murdered but also the reason he was murdered. It also reviled the way he was murdered and who, beside the actual murderer, secretly set him up to be murdered!
A bit dry, despite all the water in it, Philo Vance mystery with Warren William as Philo sleepwalking through his role as the famous fictional detective. The nonchalant and effortless way that Warren solved this very difficult murder of Monty Montague took all the tension and suspense out of the film. What really did save the movie and made it interesting was the "Old Lady" of the house or estate the daffy and fuddled brain Mrs. Stamm, Helen Lowell. It was Mrs. Stamm who unknowingly solved this very baffling murder case by her getting Philo on the right track without her not even knowing, in her thinking it was the underwater dragon, who the killer really was!
It was when the pond was drained out that to the surprise of everyone present there was absolutely no Monty there! This is when ace sleuth Philo Vance, Warren William, who accompanied the police to the Stamm Estate went into action. With rumors of a dragon, or Locke Ness-like monster, living in the pond it at first is believed that Monty ended up being killed and eaten by it. As Philo started to uncover the evidence of Monty's strange disappearance, as well as Monty's badly torn up body,it became evident that he was the victim of foul play. Not by any sea monster or mythical dragon but someone who really had it in for poor old Monty. Someone who Monty was blackmailing and who just got sick and tired of being under his thumb!
***SPOILERS***The key to Monty's demise had to do with his engagement to Bernice Stamm, Margarte Lindsey. It was handsome and debonair, as well as expert swimmer, Dale Leland, Lyle Talbot, who was in loved with Bernice and the fact that she had dropped him for Monty made him a prime suspect in Monty's murder. It took a while for Philo to get a hang on things but it was a secret key, to the Stamm Family Mausoleum, that open the door to who really killed Monty. The key not only revealed Monty's murdered but also the reason he was murdered. It also reviled the way he was murdered and who, beside the actual murderer, secretly set him up to be murdered!
A bit dry, despite all the water in it, Philo Vance mystery with Warren William as Philo sleepwalking through his role as the famous fictional detective. The nonchalant and effortless way that Warren solved this very difficult murder of Monty Montague took all the tension and suspense out of the film. What really did save the movie and made it interesting was the "Old Lady" of the house or estate the daffy and fuddled brain Mrs. Stamm, Helen Lowell. It was Mrs. Stamm who unknowingly solved this very baffling murder case by her getting Philo on the right track without her not even knowing, in her thinking it was the underwater dragon, who the killer really was!