With "The Casino Murder Case", the Philo Vance series returns to MGM which explains the rather large cast and top notch production values. Unfortunately, the casting of Paul Lucas as Vance just doesn't work. As good an actor as he was, he just couldn't pull this one off with his Hungarian Bela Lugosi like accent and continental manners. Philo Vance was supposed to be a bon vivant smart talking American detective (see William Powell). Oddly enough, Powell was working at the studio at the time on his "Thin Man" series.
What this film does have in it's favor is its excellent supporting cast including a young and energetic Rosiland Russell in an early role. The story centers around the rich and famous Llewellyn family We meet the matriarch Mrs' Llewellyn (Alison Skipworth) and her secretary Doris Reed (Russell) at an auction (watch for William Demarest as the auctioneer) that Philo Vance (Lukas) is attending. Vance receives a note warning of imminent danger to son Lynn (Donald Cook) if he goes to Uncle Richard Kincaid's (Arthur Byron) casino on a certain night. Vance takes an interest in the case.
Lynn does go to the casino but is poisoned. He is saved by the quick action of Vance, who is also there. (Watch for Keye Luke as Taki a Casino employee). At the same time back at the Llewellyn estate, Virginia Llewellyn (Louise Henny) the flamboyant wife of Lynn, is also poisoned but dies. Vance, D.A. Marham (Purnell Pratt), Sgt. Heath (Ted Healy) and coroner Dr. Doremus (Charles Sellon) rush to the scene. Amid much family squabbling, we learn that the elder Mrs. Llewellyn and Virginia had quarreled that night. Lynn's volatile sister Amelia (Isabel Jewell) is involved with family doctor Dr. Kane (Leslie Fenton)
Meanwhile Vance has taken up with Doris Reed and a budding romance begins. Later a shot ring out and the elder Mrs. Llewellyn is found dead of a gun shot wound. She has left a suicide note confessing to Virginia's murder. But Vance is not convinced that there wasn't an elaborate plot concocted by someone in the family to throw Vance off the trail and place the blame on an innocent party. After following some false leads, including the involvement of "heavy water" as a poison, Vance follows the clues and false leads and finds the guilty culprit.
It was unusual to see Philo Vance get heavily involved with the leading lady. But hey, it was Roz. Lep G. Carroll has a nice bit as Smith the butler. His scene with a trunk on a staircase is hilarious. Eric Blore plays Vance's butler Currie and he and Healy along with Carroll provide the movie's lighter moments.
What this film does have in it's favor is its excellent supporting cast including a young and energetic Rosiland Russell in an early role. The story centers around the rich and famous Llewellyn family We meet the matriarch Mrs' Llewellyn (Alison Skipworth) and her secretary Doris Reed (Russell) at an auction (watch for William Demarest as the auctioneer) that Philo Vance (Lukas) is attending. Vance receives a note warning of imminent danger to son Lynn (Donald Cook) if he goes to Uncle Richard Kincaid's (Arthur Byron) casino on a certain night. Vance takes an interest in the case.
Lynn does go to the casino but is poisoned. He is saved by the quick action of Vance, who is also there. (Watch for Keye Luke as Taki a Casino employee). At the same time back at the Llewellyn estate, Virginia Llewellyn (Louise Henny) the flamboyant wife of Lynn, is also poisoned but dies. Vance, D.A. Marham (Purnell Pratt), Sgt. Heath (Ted Healy) and coroner Dr. Doremus (Charles Sellon) rush to the scene. Amid much family squabbling, we learn that the elder Mrs. Llewellyn and Virginia had quarreled that night. Lynn's volatile sister Amelia (Isabel Jewell) is involved with family doctor Dr. Kane (Leslie Fenton)
Meanwhile Vance has taken up with Doris Reed and a budding romance begins. Later a shot ring out and the elder Mrs. Llewellyn is found dead of a gun shot wound. She has left a suicide note confessing to Virginia's murder. But Vance is not convinced that there wasn't an elaborate plot concocted by someone in the family to throw Vance off the trail and place the blame on an innocent party. After following some false leads, including the involvement of "heavy water" as a poison, Vance follows the clues and false leads and finds the guilty culprit.
It was unusual to see Philo Vance get heavily involved with the leading lady. But hey, it was Roz. Lep G. Carroll has a nice bit as Smith the butler. His scene with a trunk on a staircase is hilarious. Eric Blore plays Vance's butler Currie and he and Healy along with Carroll provide the movie's lighter moments.