The Kennel Murder Case (film)

The Kennel Murder Case
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Directed by	Michael Curtiz
Written by	Robert Presnell (adaptation)[1]
Screenplay by	Robert N. Lee Peter Milne
Based on	The Kennel Murder Case (1933 novel) by S.S. Van Dine
Produced by	Robert Presnell
Starring	William Powell Mary Astor
Cinematography	William Rees
Edited by	Harold McLernon
Music by	Bernhard Kaun
Production company	Warner Bros.
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date	October 28, 1933 (1933-10-28)
Running time	73 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$272,000[2]
Box office	$682,000[2]

The Kennel Murder Case is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film adapted from the 1933 novel of the same name by S. S. Van Dine. Directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Bros., it stars William Powell and Mary Astor. Powell's role as Philo Vance is not the actor's first performance as the aristocratic sleuth; he also portrays the character in three films produced by Paramount in 1929 and 1930.

In the film, dog show competitor Archer Coe is found murdered within his own bedroom. There is a long list of suspects, since the victim had antagonized members of his family, his lover, and his employees. The corpse of the victim's brother is soon found, hidden in a closet. One of the other suspects survives a knife attack, and the dog of Coe's neighbor is found to be seriously injured. Vance has to deduce the motives behind the attacks in order to figure out who killed Coe.