This is a film that has two extreme performances: Great for William Powell, awful when it comes to Jean Arthur. Lets start with the bad: Gladys Georgianna Greene, is not only the last name of a character from the film "The Greene Murder Case" (Ada Greene), but the real name of Jean Arthur (No wonder it was changed. It does not fit hyperactive image of Jean Arthur classic film fans know). I do not know where to start complaining about her character, but here are a few basic complaints with her in the film. Her voice does not fit the character, she is skinny, ugly, and got under my skin, every time she popped up. This was shocking, because you can pick about a dozen films that are bona-fide classics that she was in (Included in this list is "The Ex-Mrs Bradford" also with Powell), but the good Jean Arthur, will not show up for another 6 years ("The Whole Town's Talking" with Edward G. Robinson). The reason to watch is Powell. His Philo Vance is very much like Nick Charles in training: Classy, sophisticated and brilliant, but not perfect. For example: Although he gets things right: Spoilers (Like when he questions Gertrude about her illegitimate daughter (A key point in uncovering the identity of the killer)), and when he shows Sgt. Heath (Eugene Palette) how the crime was committed). He also makes a major mistake in letting the murderer alone with an intended victim, in a place where Vance or the police cannot save that person in time (The victim is lucky and survives while the killer dies, but not because of Vance or the police). It goes without saying, Nick Charles would not make that kind of mistake. I actually preferred him as Vance in this film to "The Kennel Murder Case" (Which all around is a better film, because it did not have Jean Arthur (That is how bad she was)). What is interesting is that he already has the Nick Charles persona down pat (A full five years before he shows up in the "Thin Man"). This is a film that should be remastered and put in a DVD Box Set of William Powell Detective Films (Warners has all of MGM "The Thin Man" films, plus "Bradford" (RKO), maybe, Universal should sell the rights to this film, "Canary Murder Case" & "The Benson Murder Case" to Warners so we might see that. My grade? 8/10. 10 for Powell -2 for Arthur.
Review of The Greene Murder Case
