The Dragon Murder Case (film)

The Dragon Murder Case
	Poster of The Dragon Murder Case
Directed by	H. Bruce Humberstone
Written by	F. Hugh Herbert; Robert N. Lee; Rian James (adaptation)
Based on	the novel The Dragon Murder Case; by S. S. Van Dine
Starring	Warren William; Margaret Lindsay; Lyle Talbot
Production; company	First National Pictures
Distributed by	a Warner Bros.-First National Picture
Release date	August 25, 1934;
Running time	65-68 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

The Dragon Murder Case is a 1934 mystery film adaptation of the novel of the same name by S. S. Van Dine, starring Warren William as private detective Philo Vance.

Plot

The movie features a large dragon illustration behind the opening and closing credits. Monty Montague disappears after diving into a natural pool of water on an estate. Several people dive in, but there is no trace of him. Philo Vance and the District Attorney come to investigate and decide to drain the pool. They are told that there are potholes near the pool, and Montague's body is found at the bottom of a very deep pothole. His body has claw marks on it, consistent with the superstition that a dragon inhabits the pool.

Cast

Warren William as Philo Vance
Margaret Lindsay as Bernice
Lyle Talbot as Leland
Eugene Pallette as Sgt. Heath
Helen Lowell as Mrs. Stamm
Robert McWade as Markham
Robert Barrat as Stamm
Dorothy Tree as Ruby
George E. Stone as Tatum
Etienne Girardot as Dr. Doremus
George Meeker as Monty Montague
Robert Warwick as Dr. Halliday
William B. Davidson as Greeff
Arthur Aylesworth as Trainor
Charles C. Wilson as Det. Hennessey

Reception

In his The New York Times review, Mordaunt Hall found that the "denouement is scarcely satisfactory, for it is not quite clear how Mr. Vance reaches his conclusions." Also, in his opinion, "Mr. William, while he does fair work, is not as easy and smooth in the rôle as was Mr. [William] Powell."[1]

References

Mordaunt Hall (August 23, 1934). "The Dragon Murder Case (1934) / THE SCREEN; Warren William, Margaret Lindsay and Eugene Pallette in a New Van Dine Murder Mystery". The New York Times.

External links

The Dragon Murder Case on IMDb
The Dragon Murder Case at the TCM Movie Database
The Dragon Murder Case at AllMovie

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[1] Mordaunt Hall (August 23, 1934). "The Dragon Murder Case (1934) / THE SCREEN; Warren William, Margaret Lindsay and Eugene Pallette in a New Van Dine Murder Mystery". The New York Times.