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The Bishop Murder Case (1930) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
5.8/10   156 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
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Writers:
S.S. Van Dine (book)
Lenore J. Coffee (adaptation)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Bishop Murder Case on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
3 January 1930 (USA) more
Genre:
Mystery more
Tagline:
The finest of all S. S. Van Dine's murder mystery stories...now an all-talking picture! (original poster) more
Plot:
The murders start with the body of Robin. He is found with a arrow through the heart, but Vance deduces... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
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User Comments:
Only For The Philo Vance Devotee more (15 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited 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
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Additional Details

Runtime:
88 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Aspect Ratio:
1.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric System)
Certification:
USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Fun Stuff

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). more
Movie Connections:
Followed by Philo Vance's Gamble (1947) more
Soundtrack:
Waltz in A Minor, Op.34, No.2 ('Waltz Brilliante') more

FAQ

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14 out of 14 people found the following comment useful.
Only For The Philo Vance Devotee, 11 January 2002
Author: Bucs1960 from West Virginia

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.

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