The Bishop Murder Case (1930)

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 The Kennel Murder Case (1933)

Soundtrack:

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

Elementary, my dear Vance!

I found all of the Philo Vance films watchable, with the zippy and witty Kennel head and shoulders above the rest. Bishop was pretty good too but suffered from a cast of actors stuck in the silent era and displaying the full range of intensely melodramatic emotions that are were so essential to the making of – and enjoyment of watching a silent film. Static cameras are as nothing to tortured eyes and semaphore arm histrionics.

Mr. (Cock) Robin is found flat out murdered, apparently shot with an incredibly long arrow but Vance played by skinny and incisive Basil Rathbone knows better. He predicts a series of ghastly and inhuman murders will follow conceived by a intellect bent on playing games with his pursuers by couching his dastardly deeds in very handy nursery rhymes. He and one of the suspects, evergreen Roland Young are the only two to act naturally throughout, if still very slightly stagey. The photography is occasionally startlingly good, if still static. None of these criticisms bother me, I love it just the same as a well crafted atmospheric entertaining potboiler. Favourite bits: The scene in Dillard's library with the thunderstorm raging outside; the sedate and well-mannered way Vance and the cops enter Dillard's aerodrome of a house to search for the murderer.

I hadn't seen this since 1995, the last time UK Channel 4 gave anyone interested their opportunity to watch it. TCM UK unlike TCM US will never have room for it in their admirably varied schedule either (hem). But it's worth hunting down with all its faults for 90 minutes in the company of the world of 1929.