A year before beginning his most famous role as Nick Charles in The Thin Man movies, William Powell finished another film series in which he starred another sophisticated detective, Philo Vance. The Kennel Murder Case, the series’ fifth entry, also starred Mary Astor, who would later turn in a memorable performance opposite Humphrey Bogart in The Maltese Falcon.

This Internet Archive Top 100 movie was directed by Michael Curtiz, who won an Oscar in 1942 for Casablanca. The Kennel Murder Case is a prime example of a well-done 1930s murder mystery. Enjoy!