It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did) (1936)

When a play's two producers are murdered, the playwright tries to solve the crime.

Director:

Phil Rosen

Writer:

Arthur T. Horman (screenplay)

Stars:

Reginald Denny, Evelyn Brent, Jack La Rue

Cast

Cast overview:
Reginald Denny	...	Greg Stone
Evelyn Brent	...	Beverly Drake
Jack La Rue	...	Smiley Clark
Inez Courtney	...	Linda Sands
Hugh Marlowe	...	Edward Forrest (as John Marlowe)
Claude King	...	Ellis Holden
Bryant Washburn	...	Norman Carter
Robert Homans	...	Police Lt. O'Neill
Crauford Kent	...	Bob Bennett
Robert Frazer	...	Lloyd Schaefer - Stage Manager
Miki Morita	...	Hashi - Houseboy
Emily LaRue	...	Ingenue

Storyline

When a play's two producers are murdered, the playwright tries to solve the crime.

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Plot Keywords:

male female relationship | investigation | frame up | detective | broadway manhattan new york city | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

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 Reviews

The Play's the thing

It Couldn't Have Happened, But It Did casts Reginald Denny as a playwright who is among many people suspected of murdering the two producer partners who are putting on his play. He just wants to stay away and let Detective Robert Homans do his job. But the producer's secretary Inez Courtney who has a thing for Denny wants him to solve the mystery. After all it certainly worked for Jessica Fletcher for years. And think of the publicity.

Like Nick Charles who in several Thin Man films would feign indifference but in the end was drawn in and solved the mystery, Reginald Denny has the additional motivation of being a suspect. Courtney is a little bit more annoying than Myrna Loy was, but in the end she proves a useful ally.

Denny takes a leaf from the Bard and Hamlet like writes a play to catch the conscience of the killer. It Could Have Happened might easily have been a whole lot better at a major studio, but it's all right film in any event.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 August 1936 (USA)

Also Known As:

Divided by Two

Filming Locations:

Mayan Theater - 1038 Hill Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Invincible Pictures Corp.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

70 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor High Fidelity Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1