A Slight Case of Murder (1938)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Lloyd Bacon

Writers:

Damon Runyon (play) and
Howard Lindsay (play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

26 February 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

High finance teaches a racketeer new tactics !

Plot:

Former bootlegger Remy Marco has a slight problem with forclosing bankers, a prospective son-in-law, and four hard-to-explain corpses.

Plot Keywords:

Organized Crime | Prohibition | Based On Play

Cast

Edward G. Robinson	...	Remy Marko
Jane Bryan	...	Mary Marko
Allen Jenkins	...	Mike
Ruth Donnelly	...	Nora Marko
Willard Parker	...	State Trooper Dick Whitewood
John Litel	...	Mr. Post, banker
Edward Brophy	...	Lefty
Harold Huber	...	Giuseppe 'Gip'
Eric Stanley	...	Mr. Ritter, banker
Paul Harvey	...	Al Whitewood
Bobby Jordan	...	Douglas Fairbanks Rosenbloom
Joe Downing	...	Innocence
Margaret Hamilton	...	Mrs. Cagie
Bert Hanlon	...	Sad Sam, bookie
Jean Benedict	...	Myrtle, Remy's secretary
Harry Seymour	...	The Singer
Betty Compson	...	Loretta
Joe Caits	...	No-Nose Cohen (as Joe Caites)
George Lloyd	...	Little Dutch
John Harron	...	Placemat Callahan
Duke York	...	Champ
Pat Daly	...	Pete Ryan
Harry Tenbrook	...	The Stranger
John Harmon	...	Blackhat Gallagher
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sam Ash	...	Cocktail Lounge Manager (uncredited)
Brooks Benedict	...	Partygoer (uncredited)
Wade Boteler	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Al Bridge	...	Tony, Factory Foreman (uncredited)
Frank Bruno	...	Gangster (uncredited)
Tommy Bupp	...	Freckle-Faced Kid (uncredited)
Loia Cheaney	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Harry Cody	...	Pessimistic patron (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Jimmie Fox	...	Customer (uncredited)
Harrison Greene	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Ben Hendricks Jr.	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Al Herman	...	Jim (uncredited)
John Hiestand	...	Radio Commentator (uncredited)
Al Hill	...	Gangster (uncredited)
Jerry Jerome	...	Ryan (uncredited)
Isabel La Mal	...	French Teacher (uncredited)
Carole Landis	...	Partygoer leaning on piano during song. (uncredited)
Frank Mayo	...	Partygoer (uncredited)
Tom McGuire	...	Partygoer (uncredited)
Sue Moore	...	Partygoer (uncredited)
Jack Mower	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Harry Myers	...	Partygoer (uncredited)
Louis Natheaux	...	Partygoer (uncredited)
Anne O'Neal	...	Orphanage Singing Teacher (uncredited)
Bert Roach	...	Speakeasy proprietor (uncredited)
Ronald R. Rondell	...	Partygoer (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Hotel Manager (uncredited)
Harry Semels	...	Partygoer (uncredited)
Myrtle Stedman	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Doc Stone	...	Gangster (uncredited)
George E. Stone	...	Kirk (uncredited)
Elliott Sullivan	...	Beer Salesman (uncredited)
George Taylor	...	Gangster (uncredited)
Billy Wayne	...	Customer (uncredited)
Dick Wessel	...	Partygoer popping cork (uncredited)
Huey White	...	Gangster (uncredited)
Harry Wilson	...	Butch (uncredited)
Robert Winkler	...	Orphan (uncredited)
William Worthington	...	Banker (uncredited)

Directed by
Lloyd Bacon

Writing credits
Damon Runyon		(play) and
Howard Lindsay		(play)
Earl Baldwin		(writer) and
Joseph Schrank		(writer)

Produced by
Samuel Bischoff	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Adolph Deutsch		(uncredited)
Howard Jackson		(uncredited)
Heinz Roemheld		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Sidney Hickox		(as Sid Hickox)

Film Editing by
James Gibbon

Art Direction by
Max Parker

Costume Design by
Howard Shoup

Sound Department
Stanley Jones	....	sound

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (as Warner Bros.-First National Pictures Inc.)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1938) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1947) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

In the original theatrical trailer, Edward G. Robinson as himself, talks to Mark Hellinger about this, his forthcoming picture.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Remy drinks from the glass of beer from which Whitewood drank, there is inexplicably more beer in the glass.

Quotes:

Nora Marco: Why isn't he in B-E-D?
Douglas Fairbanks Rosenbloom: Because I want more to E-A-T, you old C-O-W.

Movie Connections:

Version of Stop, You're Killing Me (1952)

Soundtrack:

How Dry I Am

A Comic Gem!

Edward G. Robinson stars as an ex-bootlegger who tries to go straight after the repeal of Prohibition. The problem is he decides to stay in the beer business, not knowing his beer is swill. Making matters worse, his dopey daughter is back from school in Europe and her boyfriend is a cop. All hell breaks loose at his rented summer house in Saratoga Springs when the family, his stooges, and some unlucky bank robbers all converge during a big house party. What fun! Ruth Donnelly is good as the wife, Margaret Hamilton has fun as the orphanage director, Bobby Jordan (as little Douglas) is hilarious, as is Paul Harvey as the dyspeptic father. Good cast all around includes Allen Jenkins, Harold Huber, Jane Bryan, Willard Parker, John Litel, and Edward Brophy. Carole Landis is one of the party guests, and the great Betty Compson, an Oscar nominee for The Barker, has a bit part as dark-haired Loretta on the piano bench. Best of all, however, is Robinson who is totally at home in this zany comedy.