IMDb plot summary: A ruthless, crooked stockbroker is murdered at his luxurious country estate, and detective Philo Vance just happens to be there. He decides to find out who killed him.
Directed by Frank Tuttle. Starring William Powell, William 'Stage' Boyd, and Eugene Pallette.
The Benson Murder Case is a classic murder mystery featuring William Powell's detective character Philo Vance trying to figure out who murdered a wealthy man in his own home. Philo Vance showed up as part of a sketch in one of my very first 1930 films, structured as a variety show, so it was kind of fun to see an actual example of Vance on film, but other than that, there really wasn't much to separate this from the oodles of other similar stories being told in the 30s. I enjoy the gimmick of every plausible subject just happening to show up on the victim's doorstep the night of the murder, but I couldn't keep most of them straight with their very minimal back stories. The clues that led to the final answer did not capture my attention in any way. Philo Vance also didn't seem to have much going for him as a detective, so I definitely don't see the appeal. Overall a pretty bland entry into my 1930 project collection, and one I'm likely to forget immediately after watching it.
How it entered my Flickchart:
The Benson Murder Case (1930)
lost to It's Kind of a Funny Story (#1983 → #1985)
lost to Try Seventeen (#2973 → #2975)
beat Johnny Tremain (#3469 → #3470)
beat Petulia (#3220 → #3227)
beat A Jazzman's Blues (#3096 → #3101)
lost to Heidi (#3034 → #3028)
beat How to Deal (#3065 → #3069)
lost to Ice Station Zebra (#3049 → #3040)
lost to She's All That (#3057 → #3059)
beat Wrath of Man (#3061 → #3065)
lost to War of the Buttons (#3059 → #3053)
lost to Ivan the Terrible, Part I (#3060 → #3055)
Final spot: #3062 out of 3972, or 23%.
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