Based on S.S. Van Dine’s bestselling novels, these classic Pre-Code murder-mysteries showcase the case-cracking prowess of the debonair detective Philo Vance, as portrayed by cinema’s icon of gentlemanly sleuthing, William Powell (The Thin Man, Take One False Step).
THE CANARY MURDER CASE (1929) – Who silenced The Canary? A scheming showgirl known as The Canary turns up dead, and so does the lone witness to the killing. Only Philo Vance stands a chance at cracking this case. Directed by Malcolm St. Clair (A Woman of the World); co-starring screen great Jean Arthur (Easy Living) and the legendary Louise Brooks (Beggars of Life) as the conniving Canary.
THE GREENE MURDER CASE (1929) – Members of the wealthy but loathsome Greene family gather at a spooky old castle to establish the terms of a will, only to be mysteriously murdered one-by-one. Philo Vance scrutinizes the clues and suspects. Directed by Frank Tuttle (This Gun for Hire); co-starring the dazzling Jean Arthur (A Foreign Affair) and Florence Eldridge (An Act of Murder).
THE BENSON MURDER CASE (1930) – When a ruthless, crooked stockbroker croaks at his luxurious country estate, Philo Vance just so happens to be there to investigate. Directed by Frank Tuttle (Lucky Jordan); co-starring acting ace Paul Lukas (By Candlelight) with William “Stage” Boyd (The Locked Door) and one of Powell’s Thin Man suspects, Natalie Moorhead (Private Detective 62).
