William Powell is way too fancy in The Benson Murder Case (1930)

You should probably watch this if you have a soft spot for those really old movies where everyone sounds like they are speaking through a tin can. It’s great for a quiet night in, but if you need things to blow up every ten minutes, you’ll be bored to tears within the first act.

It’s got William Powell playing Philo Vance, and honestly, he’s the main reason to even hit play. This was before he became the legend in the Thin Man movies, but he already has that super smooth vibe down perfectly.

The movie kicks off with Benson, who is a stockbroker and a total slimeball. He’s the kind of guy who probably kicks puppies in his spare time, so you’re kind of rooting for the killer right away.

When he finally gets what’s coming to him at his big estate, the movie turns into a classic 'who did it' setup. It’s not exactly a fast-paced thriller, though.

Actually, it’s kind of slow, like watching molasses drip off a spoon. But I didn't mind it too much because the sets are so cool to look at.

There is this one scene in the library where the wallpaper is so loud it practically screams at you. I spent about five minutes just staring at the patterns instead of listening to the clues.

The Good Stuff

• Eugene Pallette is in this, and his voice is basically a national treasure. It sounds like someone put a bunch of gravel in a blender, and I love every second he's on screen.
• The way William Powell holds a cigarette is an art form. He makes it look like the most important thing in the world.
• There’s a weirdly long shot of a character’s shoes that made me laugh for no reason.

I noticed that the sound is a bit wonky, which happens a lot with these early talkies. You can hear this constant hissing in the background, like there’s a very polite snake following the actors around.

The acting is a bit stiff, too. Everyone stands very still, probably because they were terrified of moving away from the hidden microphones.

It’s not quite as zippy as something like Forbidden, but it has its own weird charm. It actually reminded me a little of Time to Love just because of how everyone is dressed so formal all the time.

One thing that really bugged me was the detective's mustache. It’s so perfectly groomed it looks like it was drawn on with a Sharpie.

The mystery itself isn't that hard to solve if you've seen more than three movies in your life. One character basically has 'I AM THE KILLER' written all over their face from the moment they appear.

But the movie doesn't seem to care that it's predictable. It’s more interested in letting Philo Vance be the smartest guy in the room while everyone else looks confused.

There is a moment where they find a clue near a window and the music gets really dramatic for about three seconds. Then it just stops. It’s very abrupt and strange.

I think I saw a shadow of a boom mic at one point, or maybe it was just a very large moth. Either way, it was more interesting than some of the dialogue.

The ending feels a bit rushed, like they realized they were running out of film and needed to wrap it up. Vance just kind of explains everything in a big speech and that’s that.

It’s a decent little time capsule if you want to see how movies were made right after sound came in. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s comfy.

Random Notes I Scribbled Down:

• Why is everyone’s hair so shiny? They must have used a gallon of oil each.
• The way they talk about money makes it sound like a million dollars was enough to buy the moon back then.
• That one guy with the monocle really needs to learn how to keep it in his eye better.
• I'm pretty sure the butler did it, even when he didn't do it.

Overall, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. It’s clunky and the pacing is all over the place, but William Powell is just so fun to watch that you sort of forgive it.

If you’re looking for a deep, life-changing experience, keep looking. But if you want to see a bunch of people in tuxedos acting suspicious in a big house, this is your movie.