Calling Philo Vance

Calling Philo Vance
Theatrical poster
Directed byWilliam Clemens
Screenplay byTom Reed
Based onThe Kennel Murder Case
1933 novel
by S.S. Van Dine
Produced byBrian Foy
(assoc. prod; uncredited
StarringJames Stephenson
Margot Stevenson
CinematographyL. William O'Connell
Edited byBenjamin Liss
Louis Lindsay
Production
company
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • February 3, 1940 (1940-02-03)
Running time
62 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Calling Philo Vance is a 1940 American mystery/comedy film released by Warner Bros. and starring James Stephenson as the dilettante detective Philo Vance, his only appearance as the character; Margot Stevenson co-stars. The film also features Henry O'Neill, Edward Brophy, Sheila Bromley and Ralph Forbes. It was directed by William Clemens from a screenplay by Tom Reed, based on the 1933 novel The Kennel Murder Case by S.S. Van Dine, which had been made into a film in 1933, starring William Powell and Mary Astor.

For this adaptation of the story, Vance is on international assignment from the United States government to investigate traffic in wartime aircraft designs. The original story dealt with art world double-dealing, but the solution to the mystery is the same in both films. Oddly, Sgt. Heath, Vance's usual police irritant, has been renamed Ryan.