First National as a specialty brand within Warners dissolved in 1936. Here in its last year you get top Warners crime actors in a Curtiz film. Claire Dodd and Flynn have minimal parts. Margaret Lindsay is gorgeous in her Orry-Kelly in jail and is perfect. Allen Jenkins is unleashed and in one scene dressed in Chinese silk garb. Beautiful San Francisco pre-Golden Gate Bridge is featured. The great Thomas E. Jackson who is usually the detective is here a scribe. Warren Hymer gets crunch time minutes at the end. Wini Shaw does a wonderful musical number. Mayo Methot is perfect scamming the police that she is a grieving widow. What good is a confession if it wasn't taken by Barton McLane? Warren William navigates freely through Curtiz's world of interesting people and settings - at the morgue, an airport phone booth, a Chinese kitchen, a night club, a gourmet meal at the jail. Curtiz's Perry is no loner but is one step ahead of events and always in good humor.
Review of The Case of the Curious Bride
