This is a great spoof of the Edward G. Robinson crime dramas, first given laughs in 1933's "The Little Giant" (a forgotten gem.) He is a former bootlegger who can't believe that no one will buy his beer, which he later discovers is disgusting. Ruth Donnelly is his low-class wife living a high-class existence, and is hysterical. It's great to see this wonderful Warner Brothers character actress from the early 30's finally getting a part to sink her teeth into. She is what Helen Broderick was to RKO. I would have loved to see them play sisters. (Think Elaine Stritch and Eileen Heckart, or Joan Blondell and Ann Sothern together....Similar enough to be siblings, but different enough to be individuals.) Ms. Donnelly gets more to do than the top-billed female lead Jane Bryan, then being groomed by Warners to take over the type of parts that Jean Muir used to play. The basic premise has them moving to the country with orphan Bobby Watson (their guest for the summer) and dealing with other gangsters who have hidden a stash of cash in the mansion. Watson, unfortunately, isn't seen enough; It would be like one of the Dead End Kids interacting with the veteran gangster (as the DE Kids did with Cagney and Bogart), and the passing of the torch. Still, the dialogue is typically Runyon-esquire (think "Guys and Dolls" and "The Big Street" set in the country), but not quite "Capra-Corn" either. Allen Jenkins is typically amusing as Robinson's major sidekick. Willard Parker is the police officer engaged to Bryan whom Robinson keeps trying to get rid of. Margaret Hamilton has a great part as the principal of Watson's school. Toss in character names like Sad Sam, No-Nose Cohen and Blackhat Gallagher, and you've got a period comedy that they don't make anymore. Warners later remade this as a musical "Stop! You're Killing Me!" with Broderick Crawford and Claire Trevor in the Robinson/Donnelly roles which isn't bad, but catch the original first.
Review of A Slight Case of Murder
