IMDb > The Canary Murder Case (1929)

The Canary Murder Case (1929) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
6.3/10   104 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writers:
Contact:
View company contact information for The Canary Murder Case on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
1929 (Germany) more
Genre:
Plot:
A beautiful showgirl, name "the Canary" is a scheming nightclub singer. Blackmailing is her game and with that she ends up dead... more | add synopsis
User Comments:
Louise Brooks Does Not Talk more (8 total)

Cast

  (Credited cast)

William Powell ... Philo Vance

Jean Arthur ... Alice LaFosse

Louise Brooks ... Margaret Odell (the Canary)
James Hall ... Jimmy Spotswoode
Charles Lane ... Charless Spotswoode
Lawrence Grant ... John Cleaver
Gustav von Seyffertitz ... Dr. Ambrose Lindquist
E.H. Calvert ... Dist. Atty. John F.X. Markham (as Captain E. H. Calvert)
Eugene Pallette ... Sgt. Ernest Heath
Ned Sparks ... Tony Skeel (as Ned A. Sparks)
Louis John Bartels ... Louis Mannix
Margaret Livingston ... Margaret Odell (voice)
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
82 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (MovieTone)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
One of the earliest of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by MCA ever since. more
Movie Connections:
Followed by Philo Vance's Secret Mission (1947) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
6 out of 8 people found the following comment useful.
Louise Brooks Does Not Talk, 2 September 2005
7/10
Author: drednm

A famous "transition" film. One shot as a silent and partly re-shot for talkies. William Powell stars as Philo Vance. Jean Arthur plays a show girl. Louise Brooks is the "Canary." Of course this film is famous because Brooks refused to return from Europe to re-shoot scenes as a talkie. The studio then released news her voice would not record well. To get even more even they hired Margaret Livingston to dub Brooks' voice in a high nasal New York accent. Livingston also appears in a few long shots in a Louise Brooks hair cut.

Slow but OK murder mystery. Brooks disappears after about 15 minutes; Arthur has no real part. That leaves us with James Hall as the dupe, Eugene Palette the dumb sergeant, Charles Lane the father, Oscar Smith the desk attendant, etc. Lots of talk.

Brooks is gorgeous and in the credits you note she gets downplayed from 2nd to 4th billing. Another Paramount jab. Brooks indeed had a fine voice even though I've only seen a couple of lousy westerns she made. She was a beauty and had a good voice. But she sure was difficult. And her "Lulu in Hollywood" memoir doesn't change my mind about her. By the way: I loved her in Beggars of Life as well as Pandora's Box and Diary of a Lost Girl.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (8 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Canary Murder Case (1929)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Stuttering Characters Avalon123
Ever Released? EdOren
Beginning clipped off? 39-0-13
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
The Benson Murder Case The Case of the Curious Bride The Bishop Murder Case City of Missing Girls Just Off Broadway
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
IMDb Crime section IMDb USA section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.