The Bishop Murder Case (1930)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Directors:

David Burton
Nick Grinde

Writers:

S.S. Van Dine (book)
Lenore J. Coffee (adaptation)

Release Date:

3 January 1930 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery

Tagline:

The finest of all S. S. Van Dine's murder mystery stories...now an all-talking picture! (original poster)

Plot:

The murders start with the body of Robin. He is found with a arrow through the heart, but Vance deduces...

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Nursery Rhyme | Clue | Rhyme | Philo Vance

Cast

Basil Rathbone	...	Philo Vance
Leila Hyams	...	Belle Dillard
Roland Young	...	Sigurd Arnesson
Alec B. Francis	...	Professor Bertrand Dillard
George F. Marion	...	Adolph Drukker
Zelda Sears	...	Mrs. Otto Drukker
Bodil Rosing	...	Grete Menzel
Carroll Nye	...	John E. Sprigg
Charles Quatermaine	...	John Pardee (as Charles Quartermaine)
James Donlan	...	Sergeant Ernest Heath
Sidney Bracey	...	Pyne - Dillard's Butler (as Sydney Bracey)
Clarence Geldart	...	John F.-X. Markham
Delmer Daves	...	Raymond Sperling
Nellie Bly Baker	...	Beedle - the Maid

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric System)

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Zelda Sears is credited on-screen as playing "Mrs. Otto Drukker," but throughout the film she is called Miss Drucker and is referred to as the sister of Adolph Drukker, with no other Drukker in evidence (in particular, there is no Otto).

Movie Connections:

Followed by Philo Vance's Gamble (1947)

Soundtrack:

Waltz in A Minor, Op.34, No.2 ('Waltz Brilliante')

Only For The Philo Vance Devotee

This film is the 3rd of the Philo Vance mysteries to be filmed. The first two, Canary and Greene (filmed in 1929) were pretty hard going. They starred William Powell and he would return to star in the Benson Murder case and the best of the Vance series, The Kennel Murder Case. This one, starring Basil Rathbone is a step above the first two but it is still a static film as were many of that era......transitioning to sound was an awkward time for the movies and people talked, and talked, and talked, ad infinitum. Rathbone, a very attractive, suave actor fits the role well and he plays Vance as a little less of the high-brow, somewhat obnoxious character that was portrayed in VanDine's books. The mystery is another one of those typical Philo Vance puzzlers which never turn out as you thought they might but that is the fun of it all. It's interesting to see Roland Young in a role that is different from his usual movie persona. James Donlan, as Sgt. Heath is very irritating....nobody is that stupid and you wonder how he became a policeman, let alone a sergeant. I much prefer Eugene Palette from the William Powell/Vance films in that role. The rest of the supporting cast is adequate. You probably have to be a Vance devotee and a fan of early sound pictures to appreciate this film. Being both, I enjoyed it but would recommend The Kennel Murder Case for an introduction to Philo Vance. The series hit its stride with that film and then went downhill from there. Also, see The Canary Murder Case for historical film value as it was the last film made by the amazing Louise Brooks before she went on to cinema history in Germany. But, have fun with this movie...it is worth a look if you are a fan of the genre.