The Studio Murder Mystery (1929)

Excellent, smart action film.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

"The Studio Murder Mystery" from Paramount Pictures in 1929 stars Warner Oland, Frederic March, Neil Hamilton, Eugene Palette, and Doris Hill.Actor Richard Hardell (March) has several enemies. One is his director (Warner Oland), another is his girlfriend (Hill) who finds out he's not going to divorce his wife (Florence Eldridge) and Hardell's wife herself.When Helen is accused of the murder, gag writer Tony White (Hamilton) is determined to solve the case. Many people don't realize that "sound" was different in each studio, as Warners had the license for the Vitaphone. Whatever Paramount owned was nowhere near as good, as the sound here is mushy, and when people speak too quickly, you lose what they are saying.This film differs from the era's talkies in that it moves at a good pace. With people not in the rhythm of sound yet, there are often big pauses between sentences, but not here. And people were still learning how to act in front of a camera. Many actors came from the stage, where performances are much bigger.One reviewer here didn't like Neil Hamilton, but I did. He's handsome and enthusiastic and if he seems maybe TOO enthusiastic, I think it was more the style of the era. Hamilton, who died at 85, played Commissioner Gordon on Batman. Interesting to see some of these people so young!You can get a look at Paramount sound stages on this film, too, which is fascinating, and there is a silent film being shot during one of the scenes.Good artifact.

It's rather easy for a contemporary viewer to spot the killer early in "The Studio Murder Mystery" (it practically uses the same gimmick as the even earlier Philo Vance cinematic debut "The Canary Murder Case", also made by Paramount and also with Eugene Palette in the cast, in the same role with a different name). But the movie is still fun to watch, especially for buffs of the genre who want to see it taking its first baby steps. Frank Tuttle (who also directed some Philo Vance films) was a director who adapted quickly to the new "talkie" era, and employed the advances of the medium (flashbacks, close-ups, etc.). The film does not feel very static. Also of interest is the presence of Warner Oland, who is excellent in an early, pre-Charlie Chan role. **1/2 out of 4.

By 1929 a lot of the public were getting sick of talking pictures that seemed to do nothing but talk! But a year bought big changes and the difference between "The Studio Murder Mystery", a static, no action talkie made in June and "Darkened Rooms", an interesting movie about spiritualism made in November was immense. Neil Hamilton, interestingly, was in both and far less annoying in the latter.This must have been the prototype for all those murder mysteries set in film studios, featuring annoying heroes that seem to know more than the police (I'm thinking of 1932s "The Death Kiss"). Neil Hamilton, in 1929, was to Paramount what Conrad Nagel was to MGM, played irritating gag writer Tony White and definitely made you wish that he had been "bumped off" instead of Richard Hardell!! It did get a glowing, big star review from "Photoplay", that was because the story was taken from one of the magazine's fictional stories that they occasionally featured.Borka (Warner Oland) regrets giving the part of the hero in his new talkie to Richard Hardell (Fredric March) - he thinks he has no talent!! The role was part of the prize in a New Talent Competition that Hardell, a rich womanizer, has just won. Even though Hardell is married it doesn't stop him playing around with every girl at the studio - including Borka's wife, who dies with Dick's name on her lips. When Dick is found dead it seems everyone at the studio has a motive. There is Dick's wife Blanche, who is fed up with his cheating ways (Florence Eldridge was March's real life wife). Helen MacDonald (Doris Hill) who loves Dick madly but is finally convinced of his wandering ways by his wife, Helen's father and brother who want to protect her and of course Borka. When Helen's father dies from the same poison that Helen had bought for herself (she was going to end it all) and just as he was about to shed light on the killer - things look grim for her.The best thing about the film is the fascinating, behind the scenes look at Paramount. The "film within a film" (with an unbilled Phillips Holmes in the lead as a soldier) was a silent but would have been released with dialogue sequences or syncronization - in 1929 silents were long gone. In "The Studio Murder Mystery" there is a lot of clustering - microphones were still stationary and being hidden in vases and table arrangements. Doris Hill may have been a WAMPAS Baby Star in 1929 but in this movie she was swamped by more talented players - before the year was out she was a definite supporting player in "Darkened Rooms" and by 1930 she was being starred in the genre that every young actress dreads - the Western!!Mischa Auer, who is remembered for his screwball comedy in "My Man Godfrey" had an unbilled bit as an assistant. Lane Chandler, who at one stage was a challenger to Gary Cooper's Western crown had an unbilled bit as Bill Martin. Eugene Palette, who was also in "My Man Godfrey" played Detective Dirk and the butt of White's jokes.Recommended.

I LOVE old mysteries, but this early sound film is a real "creaker". The action is snail-paced, and the early sound recording makes it difficult to understand what most of the actors are saying. All-in-all, a confusing film.