The Casino Murder Case: Just another fancy crime

Is it worth your time?

If you like movies where people stand around in evening wear talking about poison while looking very suspicious, you will probably have a decent time. If you need high-octane action or deep character studies, skip this. It is a slow, talky mystery made for people who enjoy 1930s detective tropes.

Honestly, the whole thing feels a bit like a stage play that someone decided to film on a Tuesday afternoon. There is a lot of walking in and out of rooms.

The vibe

Philo Vance is played by Paul Lukas here, and he is… fine. He’s not the most exciting detective, but he gets the job done. The whole movie has this weird, stiff energy. Everyone is polite, even the murderers. It is almost funny how nobody seems *that* upset that people are dropping like flies at the casino.

There is this one moment with a waiter that goes on for way too long. The guy is just clearing a table, but the camera stays on him until you start wondering if he’s the killer. Spoiler: he isn’t. It is just empty space that feels like it should have been cut.

The supporting cast

Rosalind Russell is in this, which is the only reason I kept watching after the first twenty minutes. She’s got this sharp energy that stands out against the rest of the sleepy cast. Whenever she’s off-screen, the movie loses a bit of its spark.

I found myself comparing this to something like The Prisoner of Zenda, even though they aren't the same type of story at all. There is just something about these older films that makes you want to see a bit more flair. This one is very, very beige.

• The cyanide plot point is handled with all the grace of a sledgehammer.
• The sets look like they were built five minutes before filming started.
• I really liked the way the lighting makes the casino look slightly haunted.

It’s a mystery, but not a very hard one to solve. If you have ever seen a movie from this era, you’ll probably have the killer picked out by the halfway mark. That’s okay though. Sometimes it is just nice to watch people in tuxedos being dramatic in black and white.

It is not a masterpiece. It isn't even the best mystery from 1935. But it is harmless, quick, and features a lot of people talking in rooms with high ceilings. Sometimes that is exactly what you need on a rainy night. 🍸