When a play's two producers are murdered, the playwright tries to solve the crime.When a play's two producers are murdered, the playwright tries to solve the crime.When a play's two producers are murdered, the playwright tries to solve the crime.
Hugh Marlowe
- Edward Forrest
- (as John Marlowe)
Lynton Brent
- Lansdale
- (uncredited)
Lester Dorr
- Fingerprint Expert
- (uncredited)
Henry Hall
- Rochester Arms Manager
- (uncredited)
Henry Herbert
- Sherwood
- (uncredited)
Dian Manners
- Louise
- (uncredited)
Broderick O'Farrell
- Johnson
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis film was first telecast Thursday 24 July 1941 on New York City's newly launched first full time television station WNBT (Channel 1) which had been previously been identified as W2XBS, during its preceding experimental years. Post WWII television viewers got their first look at it in San Francisco Tuesday 10 June 1952 on KRON (Channel 4) and in Los Angeles Saturday 26 July 1952 on KECA (Channel 7).
Featured review
For as cheap as this is, it's still worth the watch! Inez Courtney's a pip!
"It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did)" (1936) is a cutesy murder mystery produced by Invincible Pictures and distributed by both Chesterfield and First Division for the States Rights system. All this should be a red flag to be aware and probably stay away. However: it stars Reginald Denny, Evelyn Brent, Inez Courtney, and Jack La Rue! Frankly, it really stars Inez Courtney, and she's a pip! Wonderful pep, wonderful spirit altogether, and beautifully realized part that pulls the entire picture through the gauze of cheap - and I do mean cheap... There are quite literally only four scenes or so in the entire film, and it lasts 70 minutes. It's as though we were on stage and there are four sets on stage where a focus light focuses on one, then another, then another, then back to one, then on to the other, etc. Cheap, cheap, cheap for a film. Directed by Phil Rosen, it begins with some sluggishness, then speeds up like a film coming together after breaking, then zips along at a furious pace, then comes to a denouement: thud, bing, bang, boom!
We begin on stage. Later the two producers are murdered. Looks like Denny could have done it. Yeah, he had a motive, but his heart, mind, and soul just ain't that kind. Brent looks and acts the part. She's tough. So are a couple of others. Oh, and, yeah, La Rue's a laughing - and sometimes laughable - gangster. He's tough enough to do it. Would he? Well, he laughs too much, don't ya think? Who else? Everybody, that's who... A quick 70 minutes that most will enjoy. Some will think, "This is just awful!" Some will moan, "No more!" Some will wonder what hit them. I thought it was well worth the watch. Especially with Denny in it. But Inez Courtney was a blast... Brent seemed tired, frankly; maybe just plain worn out. Oh, by the way, the murder method is about as inventive and just plain out of this world - if not corny - as any you've ever seen! You'll never figure it out. I must admit, too, that by the end, I couldn't really figure out who the murderer was. Yeah, it's told, but I really didn't care. Still, it was worth the watch.
We begin on stage. Later the two producers are murdered. Looks like Denny could have done it. Yeah, he had a motive, but his heart, mind, and soul just ain't that kind. Brent looks and acts the part. She's tough. So are a couple of others. Oh, and, yeah, La Rue's a laughing - and sometimes laughable - gangster. He's tough enough to do it. Would he? Well, he laughs too much, don't ya think? Who else? Everybody, that's who... A quick 70 minutes that most will enjoy. Some will think, "This is just awful!" Some will moan, "No more!" Some will wonder what hit them. I thought it was well worth the watch. Especially with Denny in it. But Inez Courtney was a blast... Brent seemed tired, frankly; maybe just plain worn out. Oh, by the way, the murder method is about as inventive and just plain out of this world - if not corny - as any you've ever seen! You'll never figure it out. I must admit, too, that by the end, I couldn't really figure out who the murderer was. Yeah, it's told, but I really didn't care. Still, it was worth the watch.
helpful•30
- mmipyle
- May 3, 2021
Details
- Runtime1 hour 10 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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Top Gap
By what name was It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did) (1936) officially released in Canada in English?
Answer