The Dragon Murder Case (film)

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
Distributed by a Warner Bros.-First National Picture
Release dates
  • August 25, 1934 (1934-08-25)
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 were craters in the pool, and sure enough Montague's body is found at the bottom of a very deep one. His body has claw marks on it, consistent with the superstition that a dragon inhabits the pool.

Cast

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

  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.


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