The Penguin Pool Murder

The Penguin Pool Murder is a 1932 American PreCode comedymystery film starring Edna May Oliver as Hildegarde Withers, a witness in a murder case at the New York Aquarium, with James Gleason as the police inspector in charge of the case, who investigates with her unwanted help, and Robert Armstrong as an attorney representing Mae Clarke, the wife of the victim. Olivers appearance was the first film appearance of the character of Hildegarde Withers, the schoolteacher and sleuth based on the character from the 1931 novel The Penguin Pool Murder by Stuart Palmer. It is the first in a trilogy including Murder on the Blackboard, and Murder on a Honeymoon, in which Oliver and Gleason team up for the lead roles.

Schoolteacher Hildegarde Withers Edna May Oliver takes her class on a field trip to the aquarium. Shortly after tripping up fleeing pickpocket Chicago Lew though he gets away, she loses her hatpin one of her students finds it. Then Miss Withers sees Parkers nowdead body falling into a pool housing a penguin. Police Inspector Oscar Piper James Gleason arrives and uncovers several suspects the widow and Seymour Bertrand Hemingway Clarence Wilson, the head of the aquarium, who had financial dealings with the deceased Chicago Lew, found near the scene and even Miss Withers herself, as it is later determined that her hatpin was driven through the mans right ear into the brain. Bystander and lawyer Barry Costello Robert Armstrong catches Gwen Parker when she faints, and acquires a client when she is taken in for questioning.Seymour confesses to protect Mrs. Parker, but Miss Withers does not believe him. She convinces Piper to notify the press that the murder was committed with a thrust through the left ear. ........

Source: Wikipedia