It's not often that I can't finish a 1930s murder mystery, but this is one of them. Up to a point, it was a typical early 30s mystery. The acting is a bit clunky, but typical of the time. The setup has a gimmick, which was fine. But when the two policemen crashed into the story, I couldn't go on.
I've learned from other reviews here that the two policemen in this movie were some kind of a comedy team. Unfortunately, they take their shtick totally over the top here, turning the official lawmen into clowns. Now there's room for clowning in this genre - Mantan Moreland and the various Sons of Chan did it well in the Charlie Chan series. However, in the Chan series, when a cop is portrayed as a fool, he usually isn't on the screen for long. In this case, the two bumblers are invited to Louisiana on a plane flight. Their clown act includes the common shtick of talking in slang, which is not understood by the sophisticated lead characters. In this case, the shtick goes on, and on, and on, and on.... you get the idea.
Some other reviewers seem to enjoy this brand of humor. Needless to say, there's no accounting for taste. For me, buffoonery is fine in sidekicks, and in small doses. In characters with serious jobs like policemen, it destroys the 'suspension of disbelief.'
I've learned from other reviews here that the two policemen in this movie were some kind of a comedy team. Unfortunately, they take their shtick totally over the top here, turning the official lawmen into clowns. Now there's room for clowning in this genre - Mantan Moreland and the various Sons of Chan did it well in the Charlie Chan series. However, in the Chan series, when a cop is portrayed as a fool, he usually isn't on the screen for long. In this case, the two bumblers are invited to Louisiana on a plane flight. Their clown act includes the common shtick of talking in slang, which is not understood by the sophisticated lead characters. In this case, the shtick goes on, and on, and on, and on.... you get the idea.
Some other reviewers seem to enjoy this brand of humor. Needless to say, there's no accounting for taste. For me, buffoonery is fine in sidekicks, and in small doses. In characters with serious jobs like policemen, it destroys the 'suspension of disbelief.'