The Kennel Murder Case (film)

The Kennel Murder Case is a 1933 American PreCode mystery film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring William Powell as Philo Vance, reprising the role for Warner Brothers after appearing as Vance in three films for Paramount.

There is no shortage of suspects Coe was very much disliked. His niece Hilda Lake Mary Astor resented her uncles tight control of her finances and jealousy of any men who showed interest in her. Her boyfriend, Sir Thomas MacDonald Paul Cavanagh, suspected Coe of killing his dog to ensure winning the competition. Raymond Wrede Ralph Morgan, the dead mans secretary, was in love with Miss Lake, but had been laughed at when he sought Coes support. Coes next door neighbor and lover Doris Delafield Helen Vinson had been cheating on him with Eduardo Grassi Jack La Rue. When Coe found out, he canceled a contract to sell his collection of Chinese artworks to the Milan museum for which Grassi worked. Liang James Lee, the cook, had worked long, hard and illegally to help Coe amass his collection. He warned his employer against the proposed sale and was fired as a result. Even Coes own brother Brisbane Frank Conroy despised Coe. Finally Gamble Arthur Hohl, the head servant, had concealed his criminal past.Brisbane Coe becomes Vances prime suspect. His alibi of taking a train at the time of the murder is disproved. When he is found dead in a closet, Vance is both puzzled and enlightened. Among Brisbanes effects, Vance finds a book titled Unsolved Murders a bookmarked page details a method of using string to lock a door through the keyhole without leaving a trace. Part of the mystery is solved. ........

Source: Wikipedia