This little piece of nothingness is fun especially if like me you’re a fan of Gracie Allen. So if you have nothing better to watch you might want to go to Youtube where you can view this B movie with an A varnish and have yourself a few easy chuckles, but be warned there’s nothing funny about the print which leaves much to be desired in terms of quality. Based on a story and later a book by S.S. Van Dine which he pitched to Paramount we find the dimwitted Gracie mixing it up with Dine’s famous detective Philo Vance (who she calls Fido) played once again by Warren William who at times looks frustrated and confused by Gracie’s antics and one liners. The plot is thin, with all the usual spins, turns and characters you would expect to find in a 1930’s murder mystery except this one is funny, well funny at times because even though its only 78 minutes it can get a bit tiring. The story follows Gracie and Philo as they try to solve the murder of a mobster and clear an innocent man of the crime. Along the way there’s poison cigarettes, perfume, picnics, snazzy nightclubs, art deco interiors, some male eye candy thanks to Kent Taylor and Richard Denning and lots of muddlement. Since it was made by Paramount it has a nice look to its decor and costumes, and the supporting cast is chock full of marvelous character actors including the great William Demarest and the equally Great Donald MacBride who was a champion of the slow burn. The film was originally suppose to include George Burns but for reasons unknown he bowed out leaving the entire show to Gracie. Competently directed by Alfred E. Green who began his directing career in 1917 and is probably best known for “Baby Face” a pre-code saucy dish starring Barbara Stanwyck who works her way up the corporate ladder in not very lady like ways. He also directed such tidbits as Its Tough To Be Famous, Parachute Jumper, The Merry Frinks, The Goose and The Gander, They Met In A Taxi, and Mr. Winkle Goes To War, any of which I would love to see.
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