The Garden Murder Case (film)
| The Garden Murder Case | |
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theatrical poster
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| Directed by | Edwin L. Marin |
| Produced by |
Lucien Hubbard Ned Marin |
| Screenplay by | Bertram Millhauser |
| Based on |
The Garden Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine |
| Starring |
Edmund Lowe Virginia Bruce |
| Music by | William Axt |
| Cinematography | Charles Clark |
| Edited by | Ben Lewis |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
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Release date
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Running time
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61 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Garden Murder Case is a 1936 mystery/comedy, the tenth in the Philo Vance film series, following after 1935's The Casino Murder Case. In this entry to the series, Vance is played by Edmund Lowe, and Virginia Bruce co-stars. The film also features Benita Hume, Douglas Walton and Nat Pendleton. It was directed by Edwin L. Marin from a screenplay by Bertram Millhauser based on the 1935 book of the same name by S. S. Van Dine.
Society swell and dilettante detective Philo Vance investigates a number of murders, beginning with the apparent suicide of a jockey during a "gentleman's race", which is followed by the sudden collapse of his father, Dr. Garden, supposedly from the shock of his son's death. Then, Edgar Lowe Hammle, who seems to be at the center of much of the intriguing going on in his mansion, is shot dead. At first suicide is suspected, until Vance notices that there's no powder burns on the body. From the choice of the weapon used, Vance suspects that one of the women involved is the murderer, but when questioned each of them tries to throw suspicion on one of the others.
At the end of his investigation, however, all the clues point to the man calling himself "Major Fenwicke-Ralston", who is in reality a hypnotist, fakir and charlatan. When Vance confronts him, the "Major" attempts to hypnotize Vance into killing himself, but Vance is not easily put under, and merely pretends, and the Major is shot by Sergeant Heath.
The racetrack scene in The Garden Murder Case was filmed at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
MGM originally considered Brian Aherne and Rosalind Russell to play the film's lead roles. Russell had co-starred in the previous Philo Vance film, The Casino Murder Case, in which Vance was played by Paul Lukas. This film was the last Philo Vance film that MGM would make; the series was picked up by Warmer Bros. for two films, and then Producers Releasing Corporation for three films.
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