Circumstantial Evidence: A messy plan with a predictable punchline

Is this thing worth your afternoon?

If you like movies where a guy thinks he is the smartest person in the room only to have the universe laugh in his face, you will enjoy this. It is a quick watch, clocking in at a length that does not overstay its welcome. But if you get annoyed by characters who make the dumbest possible choices to keep the plot moving, you are probably going to want to turn it off after twenty minutes.

The premise is essentially the classic 'reporter tries to prove a point' setup. Our protagonist wants to show that circumstantial evidence is total garbage. So, he sets up a fake murder. Naturally, because this is a movie, the guy he was supposed to fake-kill actually ends up dead. Now he is the prime suspect. It is ironic, I guess, if you like that sort of thing.

The vibe

It is definitely a budget production. You can tell they didn't have a lot of room to play with. Some of the courtroom scenes feel like they were filmed in a closet. There is this one reaction shot of a juror that lingers for way too long—like the director forgot to yell cut or the actor just fell asleep with his eyes open. It is honestly the funniest part of the film.

The acting is standard for 1935. A lot of pointing, shouting, and exaggerated confusion. I found myself focusing on the background extras more than the leads. There is a guy in the back of the courtroom scene who keeps adjusting his tie every time the camera pans over. I spent half the movie just waiting to see if he would ever finish fixing it.

• The dialogue is snappy, even if it is a bit cheesy.
• The pacing is frantic, which helps mask the fact that the logic is thinner than paper.
• I think I spotted the same prop hat in three different scenes.

It is nowhere near as tight as The Phantom Butler, which had a much better handle on its own mystery. Here, you can almost feel the writers scrambling to get to the next act. There is a moment where the hero is literally running from police, and the lighting suddenly shifts from 'night' to 'noon' in the span of two cuts. Whoops.

Honestly? It is a bit of a mess, but a fun one. It reminded me a little bit of the chaotic energy in Taxi Please, though that one had more charm. If you are a fan of old crime yarns, it is worth a look just for the sheer absurdity of the reporter’s plan. Just don’t think too hard about how the police force in this city seems to be run by people who have never seen a crime scene before.

It is not a masterpiece. It is barely even a 'good' movie. But it is honest about what it is, and I can respect that. 🕵️‍♂️