The Benson Murder Case (1930)

The Benson Murder Case, released in 1930, was the fourth of the Philo Vance movies. The history of the film adaptations of S.S. Van Dine’s novels is rather complicated. Van Dine did not sell the rights to the whole series of novels to a single studio, but sold them individually. As a result there were Philo Vance movies made by several studios. The Benson Murder Case was the third of the Paramount adaptations and the third to star William Powell.

S.S. Van Dine was a hugely popular author at that time. His reputation has not lasted particularly well compared to other popular detective fiction writers of the era which is rather unfair. The Philo Vance novels are huge amounts of fun.

One thing that you have to bear in mind when judging Van Dine’s novels and the movies based on them is that the plot devices they utilised were not clichés at the time. The Benson Murder Case, the first of the novels, was published in 1926. At that time the fair-play puzzle-plot murder mystery represented a new, fresh and exciting approach to detective fiction. The Benson Murder Case uses a formula that became very common in English detective fiction - the country house murder in which a small group of people are staying in a country house when a murder is committed. The murderer must be one of that small group. There are usually no more than half-a-dozen suspects.

In this case the setting is a hunting lodge not very far from New York but the formula is the same.

This is a story that uses the 1929 Wall Street Crash not just as background but as an essential plot point. The story of the Crash is told in a superb and imaginative opening montage.

The Crash has wiped out the fortunes of many of the clients of stockbroker Anthony Benson (Richard Tucker). He has ruthlessly sacrificed his clients in order to protect his own interests. They have lost everything. He hasn’t lost a dime.

For various reasons several of his clients happen to be at Benson’s lodge the night after the Crash. All of them have motives for murder. Money is the obvious motive but there are complicated romantic and sexual entanglements which could also provide motives. Genius amateur detective Philo Vance just happens to be present (another cliché which had not yet become a cliché).

There is of course a murder. Some of the people at the lodge have alibis but the alibis are not necessarily rock-solid. There are some clues - an unusual gun and the possibility that there was something very unusual indeed about the gun.

The clues may be helpful but Vance believes that psychology is of more use in solving crime than physical clues.

Vance’s friend, District Attorney Markham, also happened to be present at the time of the murder. Naturally Detective Sergeant Heath (Eugene Pallette) is on hand as well.

In keeping with the conventions of the puzzle-plot mystery the number of suspects is small. There is Harry Gray (William 'Stage' Boyd), a man long suspected of involvement in large-scale crime. There is Mrs Banning (May Beatty), a rich middle-aged lady, and her much younger lover Adolph Mohler (Paul Lukas). Mohler is quite clearly a gigolo. And there is a younger woman, Fanny Del Roy (Natalie Moorhead). Fanny has been having romantic adventures with both Benson and Mohler. 

And lastly there’s Benson’s manservant Albert (Mischa Auer) - he’s unlikely to have been the murderer but he may have been involved.

All of them had monetary motives and perhaps motives of both revenge and jealousy.

All of the supporting players are fairly solid (and Eugene Pallette is extremely good) but of course the movie belongs entirely to William Powell. Not everyone like the Philo Vance of the novels (although I do like him). Powell softens and humanises the character and makes him much more likeable. In fact he makes him very likeable. And Powell has the charisma that the role requires.

Frank Tuttle is once again the director and bearing in mind the technical difficulties associated with very early talkies he does a fine job and makes the visuals as interesting as he can. It does have to be said that visually this movie is less impressive than The Greene Murder Case.

The Benson Murder Case is thoroughly enjoyable. It does play fair with the viewer. The clues are there. The plot is ingenious but plausible. William Powell is a joy to watch. Highly recommended.

Kino Lorber’s Blu-Ray transfer looks very good and this is a rare case of a release with an audio commentary that is actually worth listening to.

I’ve also reviewed other Philo Vance movies - The Canary Murder Case, The Greene Murder Case, The Kennel Murder Case (1933), The Casino Murder Case (1935) and The Bishop Murder Case (1929).