At first it was a theft, then murders began - and every witness is under threat.At first it was a theft, then murders began - and every witness is under threat.At first it was a theft, then murders began - and every witness is under threat.
Earle Williams
- Mr. Black - Deputy District Attorney
- (as Earl Williams)
Tom McGuire
- Inspector Brown
- (as Thomas McGuire)
Richard Arlen
- Photographer
- (uncredited)
Monte Collins
- Milkman
- (uncredited)
- …
Roscoe Karns
- Party Guest
- (uncredited)
Isabelle Keith
- Party Guest
- (uncredited)
Carl M. Leviness
- Party Guest
- (uncredited)
Jerry Mandy
- Juror
- (uncredited)
- …
Storyline
Featured review
Benchley titles complement brisk comedy/theft/murder/mystery
Set on Friday the 13th, this film is a delightful comedy/ theft/ murder/ mystery with Raymond Griffith as a coroner who wants to solve the crimes on a houseboat in time to make it to the opera. Robert Benchley wrote the title cards, which were quite amusing - including the one about not disturbing the body of the deceased, because that was a job for the coroner, which became funnier upon each repetition. The off-beat jury rounded up by the police force apparently were in the mood to wrap things up quickly, calling "Guilty!" more than once as suspects were brought forth until admonished by the coroner not to find anyone guilty until he *told* them to. Griffith's routine with a double-sided coin (also seen in PATHS TO PARADISE) netted him food from both the milk man & hot dog vendor on the jury.
A deaf & dumb valet with whom the coroner communicates via the manual alphabet for the deaf (I couldn't keep up to see if intelligible words were being formed but I could discern proper letter formation from my interest in junior high days) was a nice touch, as was a black cat which wandered about at (in)opportune times.
Continued blowing of whistles after the arrival of the first police officer resulted in more and more officers appearing, somewhat like the sequence in PATHS TO PARADISE when the motorcycle cops pursuing the getaway car seem to never cease multiplying. But the coroner finally fingers the thief/murderer through clever psychological questioning and modern forensics, allowing him to leave for the opera with a young woman exonerated by his efforts.
A deaf & dumb valet with whom the coroner communicates via the manual alphabet for the deaf (I couldn't keep up to see if intelligible words were being formed but I could discern proper letter formation from my interest in junior high days) was a nice touch, as was a black cat which wandered about at (in)opportune times.
Continued blowing of whistles after the arrival of the first police officer resulted in more and more officers appearing, somewhat like the sequence in PATHS TO PARADISE when the motorcycle cops pursuing the getaway car seem to never cease multiplying. But the coroner finally fingers the thief/murderer through clever psychological questioning and modern forensics, allowing him to leave for the opera with a young woman exonerated by his efforts.
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Sherlock Swansons mästerkupp
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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