There have been tons of Ellery Queens over the years in the movies and on TV and Ralph Bellamy does an admirable job in this flick. There's a lot of humor in the film. Spring Byington as a dotty matron who thinks more of her pet monkey than her family is a lot of fun, though you're never quite sure if she is as dotty as she seems. Bellamy is unflappable, jaunty and confident in the title role. His relationship and repartee with his secretary are delightful. There's a very funny scene with Ellery at an auction of the contents of a country house. The mystery isn't a bad one, though there's a good chance you will eliminate enough suspects on your own to figure out whodunnit. That won't take away from the fun of viewing. If you like the Falcon series with George Sanders and Tom Conway, you'll probably enjoy this, if you can find it. I have a copy only because I caught it on TV once and taped it. Someone ought to restore the print and issue it on DVD so everyone can enjoy Bellamy in a fine comedy-mystery role.
Review of Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime
