The Case of the Curious Bride (1935)

Perry interrupts his vacation plans when an ex-girlfriend, now newly married, asks him to help her with murder and bigamy charges.

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

Tom Reed (screen play), Erle Stanley Gardner (story)

Stars:

Warren William, Margaret Lindsay, Donald Woods

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Warren William	...	Perry Mason
Margaret Lindsay	...	Rhoda Montaine
Donald Woods	...	Carl Montaine
Claire Dodd	...	Della Street
Allen Jenkins	...	Spudsy Drake
Phillip Reed	...	Dr. Millbeck
Barton MacLane	...	Detective Lucas
Wini Shaw	...	Doris Pender (as Winifred Shaw)
Warren Hymer	...	Oscar Pender
Olin Howland	...	Coroner Wilbur Strong
Charles Richman	...	C. Phillip Montaine
Thomas E. Jackson	...	Toots Howard (as Thomas Jackson)
Errol Flynn	...	Gregory Moxley
Robert Gleckler	...	Detective Byrd
James Donlan	...	Detective Fritz

Storyline

After giving the District Attorney another stinging defeat, Perry plans to take a vacation in China. That is, he was, until Rhoda, his old flame, meets him at a restaurant. Even though she says that she is asking for a friend, Perry can see right through her. It seems that her husband Moxley, who had been allegedly dead for four years, is alive and demanding money as she has married into wealth. The case escalates when the police find the body of Moxley and charge her with the murder.

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Plot Keywords:

jail visitation | second part | wisecrack | murder | attorney | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

13 April 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

Clue Club #4: The Case of the Curious Bride

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

First National Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In The Case of the Curious Bride (1935), one of Errol Flynn's earliest films, his role consisted of lying on a marble slab as a corpse. There was also a flashback sequence towards the end of the film showing how Flynn was killed. The film in question has appeared at least twice on Turner Classic Movies during Errol Flynn festivals despite his very limited (certainly less than two minutes) screen time.

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Goofs

When Mason walks into Moxley's house and walks up the stairs, there is a beautiful French window behind him, but when his car pulls away later, as seen from the outside, there is no matching french window.

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Quotes

Perry Mason: Well, Wilbur, what is the latest error of my astute grand jury friends?
Coroner Wilbur Strong: Some geek by the name of Gregory Moxley.
Perry Mason: Sounds like a toothpaste!
Coroner Wilbur Strong: Was laid gently to rest 4 years ago at Meadowbrook Cemetery.
Perry Mason: Say, That's mighty nice country up there. You get a marvelous view of the mountains and ocean.
Coroner Wilbur Strong: Some lunatic thinks he saw Moxley on the street and the grand jury wants me to look in the coffin.
Perry Mason: Better look in the coffin, Wilbur. We'll finish our coffee at the morgue.

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Connections

Followed by Perry Mason: The Case of the Glass Coffin (1991)

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Soundtracks

Neapolitan Nights
(1925) (uncredited)
Music by J.S. Zamecnik
First tune played at Luigi's restaurant
Played when Mason and Rhoda are talking at Luigi's

User Reviews

Great fun. What a corpse!

The man who played Captain Blood in 1935, plays a corpse in what, 1935. How can this be? If Kevin Costner made a great corpse in the Big Chill (and still is a great corpse) then Errol Flynn's cameo as a corpse has got Kevin beat hands down. Really this is a great little film and the reason why the films of the thirties and forties beat the ones of the nineties. These blokes knew how to crackle and the dames knew how to fizz. I'd give my eye teeth to see the many films that the studios have allowed to disappear or be destroyed because I bet there are lots of gems like this one. Warren William is so different from Raymond Burr, but in his tragically short life he brought some great entertainment. Add another 10 stars for Allen Jenkins. Terrific all round flick.