The Gracie Allen Murder Case (1939)

Super sleuth Philo Vance (Warren William) faces the zaniest case of his career when a dingbat debutante (Gracie Allen) insists on helping him solve the murder of an escaped convict (Lee Moore). Based on the novel by S.S. Van Dine and directed by Alfred E. Green (THE JOLSON STORY). The novel was the eleventh of the Philo Vance detective books written by Van Dine but this one took an unusual spin in placing a real person, the comedienne Gracie Allen, at the center of the story. Of course, when the film was made, who else but Gracie Allen could play Gracie Allen? I love comedic murder mysteries but the movie is more comedy than murder mystery. One's enjoyment of it depends on one's feelings about Gracie Allen's particular brand of comedy with everyone in the cast playing straight man to her. Fortunately, I quite like her. It's a rather silly movie but I found myself laughing out loud several times. With Ellen Drew, Kent Taylor, Richard Denning, William Demarest, Donald MacBride, H.B. Warner, Horace McMahon and Willie Fung.