Imagine what other fascinating whodunits would have emerged had Edna May Oliver continued the Hildegard Withers series? The series was short and sweet, culminating with MURDER ON A HONEYMOON, perhaps the best of the lot. RKO put slightly more money in the budget and carted the cast and crew off to scenic Catalina island.
There are two reasons for Edna May Oliver's departure. The first concerns her health, and she reportedly fell ill after production and was replaced in the next entry (MURDER ON THE BRIDLE PATH) by Helen Broderick. That seems more like a convenient excuse. Oliver at the time had become and overnight star in DAVID COPPERFIELD opposite WC Fields and may have simply jumped ship as MGM was throwing big money her way. She was immediately cast in the classic of classics A TALE OF TWO CITIES. Oliver subsequently bought a home in Beverly Hills and even helped finance the Hollywood Bowl! Also RKO was cheap, and cut her salary in the second entry. Can't blame her.
Whatever the case, this is one outstanding mystery from start to finish, with a host of suspects and the scenery is beautiful. Guessing the diabolical killer is not easy. More over, Oliver and cigar-chomping James Gleason (as Inspector Piper) continue their terrific screen relationship of insults, the witty dialogue supplied by Oscar winning humorist, screenwriter and actor Robert Benchley.
This co-stars pretty Lola Lane (one of the famous Lane sisters) playing Phyllis, looking for love in all the wrong places. You really feel sorry for her. On the other side, there's recently married Dorothy Libaire as Kay -- whose new husband gets shot.
Also popular actor Brooks Benedict plays the first victim, who apparently smoked poison cigarettes on the same plane flying into Catalina with Hildegard. Leo G. Carroll plays a fussy and suspicious movie director and Willie Best plays a porter, as usual, with a fun scene with Edna May Oliver.
The biggest mystery of all is whatever happened to actress Dorothy Libaire, who had an excellent role here. Not too long after this film she completely disappeared from Hollywood, although records show she was briefly married to director Marion Gering, a director at Paramount in the 30s. Some records says she lived past 100, but where?
There are some great shots of the famous Catalina Island casino, which still looks about the same some 90 years later! Also some spooky stuff in and around the casino late at night. Wait for the ending. Note the gag wanted criminal poster which displays a picture of actor Richard Dix? Well directed by Lloyd Corrigan, also an actor for many years.
Get the remastered dvd box set by Warner Brothers. What a treat.
There are two reasons for Edna May Oliver's departure. The first concerns her health, and she reportedly fell ill after production and was replaced in the next entry (MURDER ON THE BRIDLE PATH) by Helen Broderick. That seems more like a convenient excuse. Oliver at the time had become and overnight star in DAVID COPPERFIELD opposite WC Fields and may have simply jumped ship as MGM was throwing big money her way. She was immediately cast in the classic of classics A TALE OF TWO CITIES. Oliver subsequently bought a home in Beverly Hills and even helped finance the Hollywood Bowl! Also RKO was cheap, and cut her salary in the second entry. Can't blame her.
Whatever the case, this is one outstanding mystery from start to finish, with a host of suspects and the scenery is beautiful. Guessing the diabolical killer is not easy. More over, Oliver and cigar-chomping James Gleason (as Inspector Piper) continue their terrific screen relationship of insults, the witty dialogue supplied by Oscar winning humorist, screenwriter and actor Robert Benchley.
This co-stars pretty Lola Lane (one of the famous Lane sisters) playing Phyllis, looking for love in all the wrong places. You really feel sorry for her. On the other side, there's recently married Dorothy Libaire as Kay -- whose new husband gets shot.
Also popular actor Brooks Benedict plays the first victim, who apparently smoked poison cigarettes on the same plane flying into Catalina with Hildegard. Leo G. Carroll plays a fussy and suspicious movie director and Willie Best plays a porter, as usual, with a fun scene with Edna May Oliver.
The biggest mystery of all is whatever happened to actress Dorothy Libaire, who had an excellent role here. Not too long after this film she completely disappeared from Hollywood, although records show she was briefly married to director Marion Gering, a director at Paramount in the 30s. Some records says she lived past 100, but where?
There are some great shots of the famous Catalina Island casino, which still looks about the same some 90 years later! Also some spooky stuff in and around the casino late at night. Wait for the ending. Note the gag wanted criminal poster which displays a picture of actor Richard Dix? Well directed by Lloyd Corrigan, also an actor for many years.
Get the remastered dvd box set by Warner Brothers. What a treat.