Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime ** (1941, Ralph Bellamy, Margaret Lindsay, Charley Grapewin, Spring Byington, H B Warner, James Burke) – Classic Movie Review 10,503

The 1941 black and white crime thriller sequel Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime again stars able Ralph Bellamy as famed sleuth Ellery Queen, Margaret Lindsay as Nikki Porter and Charley Grapewin as Inspector Queen, and is directed by James P Hogan. Made by Larry Darmour Productions and released by Columbia Pictures, it is loosely based on The Devil To Pay by Ellery Queen [Frederic Dannay and Manfred Lee].

The fine cast enlivens modest mystery thriller stuff as Ellery Queen (Bellamy) chases a crooked stockbroker’s killer. But there is some suspense and mystery, as well as the obligatory silly comedy relief, along the way to find out a well-disguised murder whodunit.

It follows The Spanish Cape Mystery (1935) with Donald Cook and The Mandarin Mystery (1936) with Eddie Quillan and Ellery Queen, Master Detective (1940) and Ellery Queen’s Penthouse Mystery (1941), both with Ralph Bellamy.

It is followed by Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring (1941) with the same stars.

Also in the cast are series regular James Burke as as Sergeant Velie, Spring Byington as Carlotta Emerson, H B Warner as Ray Jardin, Douglass Dumbrille as John Matthews, John Beal as Walter Matthews, Linda Hayes as Marian Jardin, Sidney Blackmer as Anthony Rhodes, Walter Kingsford as Henry, Honorable Wu as Lee, Charles Lane as Dr Prouty, Charles Halton as Rufus Smith, and Arthur Q Bryan as Book Salesman.

Ellery Queen, Master Detective is directed by James P Hogan, runs 68 minutes, is made by Larry Darmour Productions, is released by Columbia Pictures, is written by Eric Taylor, based on The Devil To Pay by Ellery Queen [Frederic Dannay and Manfred Lee], is shot in black and white by James S Brown Jr, is produced by Larry Darmour and is scored by Lee Zahler.

It was released 14 on August 1941.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,503

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com