MURDER WITH PICTURES (Paramount, 1936), directed by Charles T. Barton, is a quaint little newspaper story and murder mystery from the studio's second feature unit. Starring Lew Ayres, who, by this time, was an ordinary actor who hasn't had a solid blockbuster since the Academy Award winning production of ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (Universal, 1930). Before his career was awarded a new and successful chapter with his "Doctor Kildare" hospital series for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1938-1942), MURDER WITH PICTURES is a prime example to the many routine programmers Ayres was doing by this time. Based on the story by George Harmon Coze, the finished product does offer some twist and turns normally found in murder mysteries, but nothing quite suspenseful as anything directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
The plot begins at a trial of crime boss, Nate Girard (Onslow Stevens) for the murder of his partner, Joe Cuslick. As I. B. McGoogin (Paul Kelly) and Phil Doane (Benny Baker) reporter and photographer of the Daily Post await for both verdict and the arrival of crack photographer, Kent Murdock, the jury enters the courtroom with a "Not Guilty" verdict. After Girard, Stanley Redfield (Ernest Cossart his defense attorney, along with his associates leave the courtroom to return to his place of residence, Girard is approached in the elevator by Meg Archer (Gail Patrick), a mystery woman who wants to talk to him privately, and Kent Murdock (Lew Ayres) stepping in through a trap door from above to take some pictures. As everyone heads to the apartment, Redfield invites Murdock and the press to stop over later in the evening to attend Girard's celebration victory party. While there, Murdock interviews Meg Archer, and is caught kissing her by Hester Boone (Joyce Compton), a bubble dancer and his jealous fiancee, who happens to be there on an invite by McGoogin so he can get a scoop from the mystery woman himself. After Murdock and Bubbles leave, a photograph is then being taken at the very same time Redfield keels over and dies. Because of the mysterious disappearance of Meg, she becomes the prime suspect of Redfield's murder. Murdock unwittingly acquires a picture plate that might be the clue to the murder, especially after finding his apartment was searched and offered $5,000 for the negative by a mysterious caller over the telephone. As another reporter, having acquired the dangerous photo, is murdered while developing the photo plate in the dark room, further convinces the police Meg Archer connected to these crimes. Murdock, accompanied by Johnny Mercer (Anthony Nace), his new assistant, believes otherwise and tries tries to clear Meg's name, unaware of the danger that awaits him.
Featuring the supporting cast of Joseph Sawyer (Inspector Bacon); Don Rowan (Siki); Frank Sheridan (The Police Chief); Irving Bacon (Keogh); and Purnell B. Pratt (George, the Newspaper Editor). With Platt and Sheridan properly placed in their typical roles, it's interesting finding movie gangster-type, Joe Sawyer, on the right side of the law, and Ernest Cossart, usually cast as a butler, playing a lawyer instead.
MURDER WITH PICTURES is routinely produced 71 minute mystery that improves with its second or third viewing after knowing the final results. Commonly presented on late show television in the 1960s and 70s, MURDER WITH PICTURES had been out or circulation for quite some time, especially in the New York City area where it was last shown on television's WPIX, Channel 11 in 1972. Later available on video cassette and DVD format, MURDER WITH PICTURES is no masterpiece by any means, but satisfactory programmer from the early years of young Lew Ayres before his most famous role as "Doctor Kildare," and Best Actor nominee in JOHNNY BELINDA (Warner Brothers, 1948), for which he is best noted. (** flashbulbs)
The plot begins at a trial of crime boss, Nate Girard (Onslow Stevens) for the murder of his partner, Joe Cuslick. As I. B. McGoogin (Paul Kelly) and Phil Doane (Benny Baker) reporter and photographer of the Daily Post await for both verdict and the arrival of crack photographer, Kent Murdock, the jury enters the courtroom with a "Not Guilty" verdict. After Girard, Stanley Redfield (Ernest Cossart his defense attorney, along with his associates leave the courtroom to return to his place of residence, Girard is approached in the elevator by Meg Archer (Gail Patrick), a mystery woman who wants to talk to him privately, and Kent Murdock (Lew Ayres) stepping in through a trap door from above to take some pictures. As everyone heads to the apartment, Redfield invites Murdock and the press to stop over later in the evening to attend Girard's celebration victory party. While there, Murdock interviews Meg Archer, and is caught kissing her by Hester Boone (Joyce Compton), a bubble dancer and his jealous fiancee, who happens to be there on an invite by McGoogin so he can get a scoop from the mystery woman himself. After Murdock and Bubbles leave, a photograph is then being taken at the very same time Redfield keels over and dies. Because of the mysterious disappearance of Meg, she becomes the prime suspect of Redfield's murder. Murdock unwittingly acquires a picture plate that might be the clue to the murder, especially after finding his apartment was searched and offered $5,000 for the negative by a mysterious caller over the telephone. As another reporter, having acquired the dangerous photo, is murdered while developing the photo plate in the dark room, further convinces the police Meg Archer connected to these crimes. Murdock, accompanied by Johnny Mercer (Anthony Nace), his new assistant, believes otherwise and tries tries to clear Meg's name, unaware of the danger that awaits him.
Featuring the supporting cast of Joseph Sawyer (Inspector Bacon); Don Rowan (Siki); Frank Sheridan (The Police Chief); Irving Bacon (Keogh); and Purnell B. Pratt (George, the Newspaper Editor). With Platt and Sheridan properly placed in their typical roles, it's interesting finding movie gangster-type, Joe Sawyer, on the right side of the law, and Ernest Cossart, usually cast as a butler, playing a lawyer instead.
MURDER WITH PICTURES is routinely produced 71 minute mystery that improves with its second or third viewing after knowing the final results. Commonly presented on late show television in the 1960s and 70s, MURDER WITH PICTURES had been out or circulation for quite some time, especially in the New York City area where it was last shown on television's WPIX, Channel 11 in 1972. Later available on video cassette and DVD format, MURDER WITH PICTURES is no masterpiece by any means, but satisfactory programmer from the early years of young Lew Ayres before his most famous role as "Doctor Kildare," and Best Actor nominee in JOHNNY BELINDA (Warner Brothers, 1948), for which he is best noted. (** flashbulbs)