Review of Philo Vance's Secret Mission

For the most part, this is a standard entry in the long-running (the first film was made in 1929!) detective series. All the main characters are formulaically (is that a word?) conceived. But the production values are less static than expected - there is even a car chase followed by a fight in the woods. And in the best genre tradition, the most essential clue that enables Philo Vance to solve the case is found in a simple photograph. I was surprised at how well the pieces of the script come together. Alan Curtis makes an adequate Vance, while Sheila Ryan is not only stunningly beautiful, but can handle comedy and drama as well. **1/2 out of 4.