This is not a bad film, but it is not what I expected to see. William Powell's Philo Vance, is NOT the Vance I saw in "The Greene Murder Case" or "The Kennel Murder Case, which are a training ground for his Nick Charles character which we saw in "The Thin Man". This Vance is very much like the Vance shown in "The Bishop Murder Case" with Basil Rathbone (Interesting isn't it that two of the most famous screen detectives (Powell and Rathbone (Sherlock Holmes)), got their gumshoe starts playing Vance?). Like what we saw from Rathbone, he is a much more serious character, and in particular an intellectual. Spoilers ahead: He actually was able to deduce who was the killer of "The Canary" (Louise Brooks), by playing poker, and figuring out who had the type of personality needed to take the risk necessary to commit the murder. My biggest problems with the film, were I knew who the killer was right from the start, and beyond Vance and the law enforcement officials, the most sympathetic characters were Alice LaFosse (Jean Arthur) the fiancé of one of the suspects Jimmy Spottswoode (James Hall), and the killer. That is right, the killer. How many films can anyone think of when the killer is more sympathetic than most people in the film? There is little doubt "The Canary" had it coming to her (Vance said so five minutes into the film). But everyone else? Very unusual. The biggest asset to this film is without question Brooks (Even with only 15 minutes of screen time). She is one of the most immoral women you will find in a film. Very much on the level of a Stanywyck-type villain who uses sex as a weapon, without one iota of decency. In fact, she makes Stanwyck's Lily Powers (From "Baby Face") who does the same thing, seem like a sweet, innocent girl. I am giving this film 7/10 stars (Mostly for Brooks).
Review of The Canary Murder Case
