Mjeteconer Just perfect...

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Matylda Swan It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

Rexanne It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

calvinnme ...and how far his film persona has traveled since 1928's Forgotten Faces! In the silent era, Powell had played a heavy. But that distinguished sounding voice may not have been what the audience expected, but it was what they wanted once they heard it. So parts arrived for him that matched that distinguished voice.This film opens with the dysfunctional Greene family going over the terms of the late Mr. Greene's will that says the family must live in the estate for 15 years before anything more than living expenses is awarded to any of the heirs. All share equally, and if any die or decide to live somewhere else, their share is distributed to the others. They are 10 years into the 15 years, so New Year's Eve 1934 gives them all their money and their freedom. And none of them likes the other. Mrs. Tobias Greene is bedridden because she cannot walk. Ada (Jean Arthur) dotes on her, and Ada is always being taunted by Sibella Greene (Florence Eldridge) as an outsider since she is adopted. Sibella has some secret between herself and her mother's doctor.Then, one by one the members of the Green family begin turning up dead. The police call in Philo Vance to help, and lest the audience think it strange that a civilian is helping in police matters, several references are made to "The Canary Murder Case" in which Vance solved the crime. Vance keeps emphasizing that these things usually boil down to psychology, and that is his focus throughout the film - the psychology of the members of the Greene family, both the dead and the living. Did I mention that the servants share some in the will too and there are some very strange household servants? Eugene Palette plays Sgt. Ernest Heath of the police, and does the most interfacing with Vance. Paramount paired Powell and Palette quite a bit in the early years of sound and their contrast seemed to be very synergistic, both of them with trademark voices of a very different kind from one another.I'll let you watch and see how this all turns out. There are quite a few surprises in the plot. I'd recommend it.

kevin olzak 1929's "The Greene Murder Case" was the second of three early talkie Paramounts starring William Powell as Philo Vance, coming six months after the first, "The Canary Murder Case," eight months before the third, "The Benson Murder Case." Storywise, it's perhaps the best of all three, while technically it's a huge improvement on its predecessor, the pacing agreeable, the acting more natural, and Powell again joined by District Attorney Markham (E. H. Calvert) and Sgt. Ernest Heath (Eugene Palette). Also returning as a different character is young Jean Arthur, in a far more substantial role than her cameo in "The Canary Murder Case." The Greene household, consisting of bedridden matriarch and four offspring, are beholden to the will of the late patriarch Tobias Greene, requiring everyone to remain under the same roof for 15 years before the estate can be divided evenly between them. One dark midnight, both Chester (Lowell Drew) and Ada (Jean Arthur) end up shot (Chester fatally), but the robbery motive piques the curiosity of Philo Vance, particularly as the two shots were fired minutes apart. Always intrigued by the psychological aspects of each case, Vance has his hands full under this roof, where Tobias kept an extensive library on the history of crime. He may wind up solving this one by having only one suspect left! Florence Eldridge (Mrs. Fredric March) is an assured scene stealer, but her doctor boyfriend is played by dull as dishwater Ullrich Haupt (hard to believe that two women would be interested in him). Powell is far more involved here, and his amusing rapport with Eugene Palette never goes over the top. Struggling in a role few actresses could credibly pull off, beautiful Jean Arthur was still an unknown quality at the time, but remained one of Powell's favorite leading ladies (later seen to best advantage in "The Ex-Mrs. Bradford").

davidjanuzbrown This is a film that has two extreme performances: Great for William Powell, awful when it comes to Jean Arthur. Lets start with the bad: Gladys Georgianna Greene, is not only the last name of a character from the film "The Greene Murder Case" (Ada Greene), but the real name of Jean Arthur (No wonder it was changed. It does not fit hyperactive image of Jean Arthur classic film fans know). I do not know where to start complaining about her character, but here are a few basic complaints with her in the film. Her voice does not fit the character, she is skinny, ugly, and got under my skin, every time she popped up. This was shocking, because you can pick about a dozen films that are bona-fide classics that she was in (Included in this list is "The Ex-Mrs Bradford" also with Powell), but the good Jean Arthur, will not show up for another 6 years ("The Whole Town's Talking" with Edward G. Robinson). The reason to watch is Powell. His Philo Vance is very much like Nick Charles in training: Classy, sophisticated and brilliant, but not perfect. For example: Although he gets things right: Spoilers (Like when he questions Gertrude about her illegitimate daughter (A key point in uncovering the identity of the killer)), and when he shows Sgt. Heath (Eugene Palette) how the crime was committed). He also makes a major mistake in letting the murderer alone with an intended victim, in a place where Vance or the police cannot save that person in time (The victim is lucky and survives while the killer dies, but not because of Vance or the police). It goes without saying, Nick Charles would not make that kind of mistake. I actually preferred him as Vance in this film to "The Kennel Murder Case" (Which all around is a better film, because it did not have Jean Arthur (That is how bad she was)). What is interesting is that he already has the Nick Charles persona down pat (A full five years before he shows up in the "Thin Man"). This is a film that should be remastered and put in a DVD Box Set of William Powell Detective Films (Warners has all of MGM "The Thin Man" films, plus "Bradford" (RKO), maybe, Universal should sell the rights to this film, "Canary Murder Case" & "The Benson Murder Case" to Warners so we might see that. My grade? 8/10. 10 for Powell -2 for Arthur.

kidboots There was a sequence in "Paramount on Parade" called "Murder Will Out" (a comedy sketch) in which Sherlock Holmes (Clive Brook), Fu Manchu (Warner Oland) and Philo Vance (William Powell) put their heads together to solve a crime. Philo Vance novels were extremely popular in the mid to late 20s, although, now, only the movies are remembered. S.S Van Dine (the author) described him (Vance) as a man of unusual culture and brilliance. An aristocrat, he held himself aloof from the common man - and he often wore a monocle!!! No wonder Ogden Nash said "Philo Vance needs a kick in the pants"!!!According to Greene Snr's will, if his family are to inherit his estate, a member of the police force is to call each year on Dec. 31st to see if all the family are present - if not they will be disinherited. No wonder there is so much internal fighting and hate from the family members - all except sweet little sister Ada (Jean Arthur). Suddenly the fighting takes on a sinister look when Chester Greene is fatally shot and Ada wounded. Enter Philo Vance, a debonair private detective, who rules out the burglar theory right away when the time is reckoned at three minutes between each shot. Keeping proceedings earthy is Sergeant Heath (Eugene Palette) - "sure it's funny - so is a chicken crossing the road, but nobody's solved that yet"!!!Among the usual suspects - highly strung Rex Greene (Morgan Farley), who has to be slapped to bring him to his senses. Sibella (Florence Eldridge) who seems to have something going on with the doctor. As each of the family is killed off, the most likely person shaping up to be the killer is Sproot, the butler (Brandon Hurst). According to the will, the last man or woman left standing will inherit the lot!!! Maybe old Mrs. Greene is not a bed-ridden cripple after all!!! Maybe the doctor is not out on all the house calls he claims!!Even though it was a typical static, "two room" talkie - for it's time the plot had some intricate twists and Vance very clearly explained how he came to his deductions.Highly Recommended.