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IMDbPro

It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did)

  • 19361936
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 10m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
137
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
174,293
15,921
Evelyn Brent, Reginald Denny, and Jack La Rue in It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did) (1936)
ComedyCrimeRomance
When a play's two producers are murdered, the playwright tries to solve the crime.When a play's two producers are murdered, the playwright tries to solve the crime.When a play's two producers are murdered, the playwright tries to solve the crime.
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
137
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
174,293
15,921
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Phil Rosen
    • Writer
      • Arthur T. Horman(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Reginald Denny
      • Evelyn Brent
      • Jack La Rue
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Phil Rosen
    • Writer
      • Arthur T. Horman(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Reginald Denny
      • Evelyn Brent
      • Jack La Rue
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 7User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • Photos

    Inez Courtney, Reginald Denny, and Jack La Rue in It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did) (1936)
    Evelyn Brent, Reginald Denny, and Robert Frazer in It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did) (1936)
    It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did) (1936)
    It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did) (1936)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Reginald Denny
    Reginald Denny
    • Greg Stone
    Evelyn Brent
    Evelyn Brent
    • Beverly Drake
    Jack La Rue
    Jack La Rue
    • Smiley Clark
    Inez Courtney
    Inez Courtney
    • Linda Sands
    Hugh Marlowe
    Hugh Marlowe
    • Edward Forrest
    • (as John Marlowe)
    Claude King
    Claude King
    • Ellis Holden
    Bryant Washburn
    Bryant Washburn
    • Norman Carter
    Robert Homans
    Robert Homans
    • Police Lt. O'Neill
    Crauford Kent
    Crauford Kent
    • Bob Bennett
    Robert Frazer
    Robert Frazer
    • Lloyd Schaefer - Stage Manager
    Miki Morita
    • Hashi - Houseboy
    Emily LaRue
    • Ingenue
    Lynton Brent
    Lynton Brent
    • Lansdale
    • (uncredited)
    Lester Dorr
    Lester Dorr
    • Fingerprint Expert
    • (uncredited)
    Henry Hall
    Henry Hall
    • Rochester Arms Manager
    • (uncredited)
    Henry Herbert
    • Sherwood
    • (uncredited)
    Dian Manners
    • Louise
    • (uncredited)
    Broderick O'Farrell
    Broderick O'Farrell
    • Johnson
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Phil Rosen
    • Writer
      • Arthur T. Horman(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film was first telecast Thursday 24 July 1941 on New York City's newly launched first full time television station WNBT (Channel 1) which had been previously been identified as W2XBS, during its preceding experimental years. Post WWII television viewers got their first look at it in San Francisco Tuesday 10 June 1952 on KRON (Channel 4) and in Los Angeles Saturday 26 July 1952 on KECA (Channel 7).

    User reviews7

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Another wonderful 'forgotten' murder mystery
    It couldn't have happened, but it obviously did: this WONDERFULLY enjoyable, entertaining and clever classic 'whodunit' seems to have sunken into oblivion. I'm VERY lucky that it was recommended to me by a very good friend of mine, a real connoisseur of classic mysteries, because otherwise I'd probably never heard about it at all...

    And how much wrong can time do to such great movies - just because they weren't produced by a major studio, just because they didn't have some 'great star' in their cast?? And yet, this SUBLIME example of a classic murder mystery, which has literally got everything from a complicated plot with LOTS of suspects, a pretty unusual murder method, and some QUITE suspenseful moments, to the most funny and original wisecracks and the most hilarious characters, CAN boost of quite some big names among its cast: first of all, former silent leading lady Evelyn Brent (best known to us all as 'Feathers' in the archetypal gangster movie "Underworld"), once again as the 'femme fatale' for many men; then Reginald Denny (whom we got to know and love as 'Algy', the hapless friend of 'Bulldog Drummond') as the playwright who reluctantly starts investigating the case, being pushed by his secretary who's in love with him - and wonderfully played by lovely Inez Courtney - , and last but not least Jack La Rue, one of Hollywood's 'eternal gangsters'.

    Now, I'd say that it's HIGH time to remember those 'forgotten' old mysteries, dig them up from the movie cellar and bring them back into the limelight again - and "It Couldn't Have Happened, But It Did" certainly is one of those who DESERVES to become known to a MUCH wider audience!
    helpful•8
    1
    • binapiraeus
    • May 31, 2014

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 1, 1936 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Divided by Two
    • Filming locations
      • Mayan Theater - 1038 Hill Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Invincible Pictures Corp.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 10 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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    Evelyn Brent, Reginald Denny, and Jack La Rue in It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did) (1936)
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