The Kennel Murder Case (1933)

William Powell: Philo Vance

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Quotes 

• Philo Vance : What do you think of the suicide theory now, Sergeant?

  Detective Sgt. Heath : Well, it's slightly complicated since the man shot, slugged and stabbed himself - especially in the back.

• Philo Vance : [Refering to the wounded Sir Thomas]  Could the wound have been self-inflicted, doctor?

  Dr. Doremus : I'm the city butcher, not a detective. Don't bother me with any murders after three tomorrow. I'm going to the World Series.

• Detective Sgt. Heath : [after a frustrating develpment]  Well, Mr. Vance, where are we now?

  Philo Vance : I should say somewhere in the middle of the Gobi Desert.

• Philo Vance : Say, Markham, I just heard about Arthur Coe.

  Dist. Atty. Markham : Yes. Too bad he had to bump himself off like that.

  Philo Vance : Hmm, that's why I called you. You sure that he did bump himself off?

  Dist. Atty. Markham : Well, his butler tells us he's sitting in a locked room with a revolver in his hand and a bullet in his head. I don't know what else you'd call it.

• Philo Vance : Well, if you knew Archer Coe, you would know that suicide would be almost a psychological impossibility for him.

  Dist. Atty. Markham : Psychological, bosh! Now two and two make four, don't they?

  Philo Vance : How do you know you have two and two?

• Dist. Atty. Markham : Haven't you got any ideas, Vance?

  Philo Vance : Markham, it's a maze of conflicting clues. Any one of seven people might have done it.

  Detective Sgt. Heath : We couldn't convict seven people, Mr. Vance.

  Philo Vance : You couldn't convict one with the evidence you've got.

• [last lines] 

  Detective Sgt. Heath : Well, we did it again, Mr. Vance.

  Philo Vance : Congratulations, Sergeant.

  Detective Sgt. Heath : Thank you. I'll certainly mention you in my story to the papers.

  Philo Vance : Thank you.

  Detective Sgt. Heath : Oh, that's all right, Mr. Vance.

  [chuckles nervously]