A Slight Case of Murder (1938)

Director:

Lloyd Bacon

Writers:

Earl Baldwin (screenplay) and
Joseph Schrank (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

5 March 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

High finance teaches a racketeer new tactics !

Plot:

Former bootlegger Remy Marco has a slight problem with forclosing bankers, a prospective son-in-law, and four hard-to-explain corpses.

Plot Keywords:

Beer | Prohibition | Banker | Gangster | State Trooper

Cast

Edward G. Robinson	...	Remy Marco
Jane Bryan	...	Mary Marco
Allen Jenkins	...	Mike
Ruth Donnelly	...	Nora Marco
Willard Parker	...	Dick Whitewood
John Litel	...	Post
Edward Brophy	...	Lefty
Harold Huber	...	Guiseppe
Eric Stanley	...	Ritter
Paul Harvey	...	Mr. Whitewood
Bobby Jordan	...	Douglas Fairbanks Rosenbloom
Joe Downing	...	Innocence
Margaret Hamilton	...	Mrs. Cagle
George E. Stone	...	Kirk
Bert Hanlon	...	Sad Sam

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:14A (video rating) | USA:Approved (certificate #3916) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

In the original theatrical trailer, Edward G. Robinson as himself, talks to Mark Hellinger about this, his forthcoming picture.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: The name of Robinson's character is spelled "Marko" throughout the movie on signs, on his beer, on his office door, and by the character himself, but the name is spelled "Marco" in the closing credits.

Quotes:

Remy Marco: Come on in, honey, into the music room.
Nora Marco: Music room? Up to now this has always been the slot machine room.
Remy Marco: Well, that's all going to be changing now. We got to start putting on plenty of class. Oh, and by the way, have Mike take the spittoons out of the living room.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

I'm Like a Fish out of Water

A Comic Gem!

Edward G. Robinson stars as an ex-bootlegger who tries to go straight after the repeal of Prohibition. The problem is he decides to stay in the beer business, not knowing his beer is swill. Making matters worse, his dopey daughter is back from school in Europe and her boyfriend is a cop. All hell breaks loose at his rented summer house in Saratoga Springs when the family, his stooges, and some unlucky bank robbers all converge during a big house party. What fun! Ruth Donnelly is good as the wife, Margaret Hamilton has fun as the orphanage director, Bobby Jordan (as little Douglas) is hilarious, as is Paul Harvey as the dyspeptic father. Good cast all around includes Allen Jenkins, Harold Huber, Jane Bryan, Willard Parker, John Litel, and Edward Brophy. Carole Landis is one of the party guests, and the great Betty Compson, an Oscar nominee for The Barker, has a bit part as dark-haired Loretta on the piano bench. Best of all, however, is Robinson who is totally at home in this zany comedy.