This black and white film with Gracie Allen is very funny.She is on a picnic and meets a man named Bill who later is accused of killing a convict just let out of jail.She sings and has a really beautiful voice when she is not adding confusion to her singing. The film is just full of comedy mostly by her. She has the ability to talk funny and confuse people with her babble like on the George Burns and Gracie Allen Show.She tries to help Bill by going into an apartment that might have clues to the man that was murdered. This apartment scene is so funny. She stumbles, falls, crashes into furniture in the dark mostly out of fear. She gets attached to a piece of furniture she thinks is a person following her and wrestles it to the ground. She gets tangled in drapes, sees a woman in the mirror and gets scared and does not realize she saw herself but thinks it is another another woman in the dark room. You will gets lots of laughs, some very stupid moments but also very funny.See the film or download on YouTube --> The Gracie Allen Murder Case 1939 --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=658fHZLgyoQ

Warren William makes the second of his two appearances as S.S. Van Dine's detective Philo Vance in this picture. But actor William and detective Vance both have a lot of trouble making sure people remembered they were in The Gracie Allen Murder Case.Even without George Burns to pace their routine Gracie Allen does well enough on her own in this film where she seemingly hinders more than she helps William solve the murder of an escaped convict. Seemingly stood up at a society bash Jed Prouty pairs off young Kent Taylor with his niece Gracie. Inadvertently Taylor gives Gracie a clue to the murder that he doesn't yet know about but of whom he is neatly being slipped into a nice frame.Of course Gracie's non sequitur babbling almost lands Taylor in Sing Sing's prize chair and then she almost implicates Vance in her own special la-de-da way.Although William seems to be taking this all in stride he's barely keeping up with Gracie in the title role. Both Donald MacBride as DA Markham and William Demarest as Sergeant Heath both known for their slow burns are given ample provocation by Gracie.It's Gracie's picture and if you've never seen her before this film will make you a fan even if it's without George Burns.

A Philo Vance tale was created for Gracie Allen by her friend author and creator of Philo Vance SS Van Dine. the plot has Gracie going to her uncle's picnic where she's set up with a nice young man from her uncle's factory. the young man loves another girl but her figures to show Gracie a good time to make his girl jealous. While at a night club Gracie stumbles on a dead body and all evidence points to her chaperon. Philo Vance is brought in to help solve the case and the pairing of Allen and Vance (whom Gracie calls Fido) is on.An odd ball comedy mystery that doesn't really work as a mystery however the interplay between Gracie (sans George Burns) and Warren William as Vance is priceless. Actually Gracie and anyone is cause for sustained giggling. She is simply not one to be anything less than silly and it helps get us through a mystery that doesn't really work (we aren't given any real clues). One hopes that the novel that resulted from this screen pairing reads better as a mystery. Then again why would anyone in their right mind watch a Gracie Allen movie for anything other that the silliness A enjoyable but unremarkable comedy this film is worth the 75 minutes. As a mystery you're better off looking else where.

This film's been getting trashed pretty hard, which is a shame because it's actually a lot of fun and Gracie Allen shines in it. OK, so it's not the most complicated mystery, but it does have some suspenseful moments, especially the climax which gives new meaning to cigarettes being hazardous to your health. The film's real charms come from Gracie Allen, whose scatterbrained antics generate a lot of laughs. Warren William is also perfect reprising his role of Philo Vance (Fido, to Gracie) and hilariously playing straight man to Mrs. George Burns.I'd advise anyone who panned this film to give it another chance. You may be surprised.