Murder at the Vanities
Murder at the Vanities | |
---|---|
Directed by | Mitchell Leisen |
Written by | Carey Wilson Joseph Gollomb Sam Hellman (dialogue) Jack Cunningham (uncredited) Earl Carroll (play) Rufus King (play) |
Produced by | E. Lloyd Sheldon (uncredited) |
Starring | Victor McLaglen Carl Brisson Jack Oakie Kitty Carlisle Gertrude Michael Toby Wing Jessie Ralph Duke Ellington |
Cinematography | Leo Tover |
Edited by | William Shea (uncredited) |
Music by | Howard Jackson (uncredited) William E. Lynch (uncredited) Milan Roder (uncredited) |
Production company | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 89 min. |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Murder at the Vanities is a 1934 American
The film is primarily a musical, based on
Plot
Jack Ellery (Oakie) is staging a lavish musical revue, starring Eric Lander (Brisson), Ann Ware (Carlisle), and Rita Ross (Michael), supported by a cast of a hundred background singers/dancers (almost all women, and many scantily clad) and two full orchestras. On opening night, just before the show, somebody tries to kill Ware several times. Ellery calls in police lieutenant Murdock (McLaglen) of the homicide squad to investigate. During the show a private detective and then Rita are murdered. Ellery hides this from the rest of the performers, claiming the victims are just sick, and talks Murdock into investigating while the revue continues on, otherwise Ellery will go broke.
Several twists and turns follow, but finally the murders are solved just after the show ends. In the last scene, Nancy (Wing), a squeaky pretty blonde showgirl, finally gets to tell Ellery and Murdock what she has attempted to tell Ellery several times throughout the show. However, he kept putting her off, she was just trying to gain his attention, and he was too busy staging the show. She actually had a vital piece of information that would have solved the first murder much sooner, and might have prevented the second murder. Now that the show is over and a success, Ellery's attention is finally on her, and they go out for the night to celebrate. She giggles once again and moves off
Cast
- Carl Brisson as Eric Lander
- Victor McLaglen as Bill Murdock
- Jack Oakie as Jack Ellery
- Kitty Carlisle as Ann Ware
- Dorothy Stickney as Norma Watson
- Gertrude Michael as Rita Ross
- Jessie Ralph as Mrs. Helene Smith
- Charles B. Middleton as Homer Boothby
- Gail Patrick as Sadie Evans
- Donald Meek as Dr. Saunders
- Toby Wing as Nancy
- Duke Ellington as himself
Production
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (October 2017) |
Reception
The film was a box office disappointment for Paramount.[1]
Pre-Code era scenes
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (October 2017) |
References
- ProQuest 101193306.