Blu ray review: Philo Vance Collection

Kino Lorber once again offers important films from movie history with this three-film set of pre-code detective dramas.  William Powell stars as Philo Vance, a character he played in several films, most notably the Warner release The Kennel Murder Case (1933) directed by Michael Curtiz.  The three features in the Kino collection are from Paramount and are the first films in which Powell played the character.  Beautifully restored in 4K and 2K, these mysteries contain the seeds of so many future William Powell performances.  Powell does not have the playful nature of Nick Charles of the Thin Man series here, he approaches the character more dramatically.  But his acting is top notch, as usual, and the films are buoyed by Eugene Pallette as Inspector Heath, a mainstay in all three movies in the set.

THE CANARY MURDER CASE (1929)

The first film on the set is also the first movie to feature the Philo Vance character.  Based on S.S.Van Dine’s 1927 book, Dine himself wrote the screenplay about Philo Vance investigating the murder of a showgirl.  The film was produced as a silent, filmed in the Fall of 1928, but was redubbed to be released as a sound feature.  Actress Louise Brooks refused to participate in the dubbing process, so her part was spoken by another actress.  It was released as both a silent and sound film, the former for theaters not yet equipped for sound exhibition.  A young Jean Arthur appears, as do veterans Ned Sparks, James Hall, and the aforementioned Pallette.  Kino’s release is a brand new 4K restoration with commentary by Novelist/Critic Kim Newman and Writer/Journalist Barry Forshaw.

THE GREENE MURDER CASE (1929)

Members of the Greene family must abide by set rules laid down by their late father until they can collect their inheritance – they have five more years to go under these rules.  However, tensions result in the murder of family members. The D.A. calls in Philo Vance to help solve these crime.  Based on the S.S. Van Dine novel released a year earlier, this film once again features Eugene Pallette and Jean Arthur supporting William Powell, along with Florence Eldridge and Gertrude Norman.  Kino’s blu ray is a new 4K restoration with commentary by Novelist/Critic Kim Newman and Writer/Journalist Barry Forshaw.

 THE BENSON MURDER CASE (1930)

This one opens with a well-directed (by Frank Tuttle) montage presenting the stock market crash, and the reaction by businessmen who’ve lost everything.  These shots were added for the film, as the original book by S.S. Van Dine had been written in 1926. The story deals with the murder of a stockbroker which Philo Vance must solve.  Eugene Pallette is back again with William Powell, and further support is offered by Paul Lukas, Natalie Moorehead (who would appear with Powell in The Thin Man), Mischa Auer (who would memorably appear with Powell in My Man Godfrey), and William Boyd.  This is William “Stage” Boyd, not the actor who would later play Hopalong Cassidy.  Kino’s blu ray is a new 2K restoration (it might be the best looking film on the set), and features a commentary by Professor and Film Scholar Jason A. Ney.

All three of the films on this set are highly recommended for fans of detective mysteries, those interest in pre-code cinema, libraries, research centers, and certainly fans of William Powell.  It can be purchased at this link:  PHILO VANCE