Murder on the Blackboard (1934)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

George Archainbaud

Writers:

Willis Goldbeck (writer)
Stuart Palmer (story)

Release Date:

15 June 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Mystery

Plot:

There are plenty of guilty secrets at the school where Hildegarde Withers teaches. When she finds the body of the pretty music teacher...

Plot Keywords:

Hildegarde Withers | Prison Escape | Forensic | Jealousy | Police Inspector

Cast

Edna May Oliver	...	Hildegarde Withers
James Gleason	...	Inspector Oscar Piper
Bruce Cabot	...	Addison 'Ad' Stevens
Gertrude Michael	...	Jane Davis
Regis Toomey	...	Detective Smiley North
Tully Marshall	...	Mr. MacFarland
Frederick Vogeding	...	Otto Schweitzer, the Janitor (as Fredrik Vogeding)
Edgar Kennedy	...	Detective Donahue
Jackie Searl	...	Leland Stanford Jones
Barbara Fritchie	...	Louise Halloran
Gustav von Seyffertitz	...	Dr. Max Von Immen
Tom Herbert	...	Detective McTeague
Jed Prouty	...	Dr. Levine

Runtime:

71 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Goofs:

Continuity: Two wide-mouthed bottles appear out of nowhere on Miss Halloran's desk as Miss Withers searches it.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Oscar Piper: ...A fella could come up and see ya some time couldn't he?
Hildegarde Withers: Why, Oscar Piper!
[Oscar laughs]
Hildegarde Withers: Why, you dreadful man! You get out of here. Go on, get out!
[He leaves the diner, laughing heartily, as Hildegarde smoothes her ruffled feathers]
Hildegarde Withers: Insulted at my age!
Bearded Diner: Better late than never, sister.
Hildegarde Withers: [haughtily] That will do.

Movie Connections:

Follows Penguin Pool Murder (1932)

Soundtrack:

The Sidewalks of New York

Edna May Oliver - Super Sleuth

This was the second of 3 films Edna May Oliver made at RKO starring as that indomitable school teacher/sleuth, Miss Hildegarde Withers. As always, Miss Oliver steals the show, sticks it in her handbag and walks off with it.

This time she attempts to track down a murderer right in her own New York City school. With her gimlet eye & no-nonsense manner, the killer never really stands a chance.

Miss Oliver, as always, is a joy to watch. James Gleason returns as the harried police detective Oscar Piper, now Hildegarde's boyfriend. Also on hand are Edgar Kennedy, Bruce Cabot & Tully Marshall. But, as in the other Withers films, Edna May is the real reason to watch.