Nice effects though.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

"A Slight Case of a Murder" is also one of a mildly enjoyable gangster comedy, foreseeing the laugh riots Billy Wilder would make two decades later, therefore, the fairest comment I could give is that the film was too decades ahead of its time. At the dawn of the gangster-movies' era, when the distinguished members of the murderer's row, Cagney, Muni and Raft wanted to prove their cinematic value on new fields, Robinson was no exception and the film was precisely marketed at the first comedic attempt on the gangster genre, and Robinson's first comedic role. And I guess that's the film's problem. Indeed, as comedic as it was, it didn't need to get too far from the archetypes forged by the most defining genre of the 30's. Like I said in my review of "Little Caesar", only musicals and gangster movies could drive the popularity of the talkies, and give audiences the very sensations they've been missing for decades, the sound of machine-guns and the outburst of such Napoleon-like figures as Tom Powers and Enrico 'Caesar' Bandalo, or the menacing suaveness of Tony Camonte would fascinate a public, secretly attracted to these rebellious figures fighting against the system. They were murderers, killers, but played by actors and damn good ones, actors, who knew how to inject charisma and sympathy in these (seemingly) irredeemable outlaws. Therefore, it didn't take much distance to make all these archetypes work for comedic purposes, especially for Robinson. With his catfish-like mug, his inseparable cigar, and his nasal fast-paced delivery punctuated by his trademark 'See?" and "Yeah", the figure of Edward G. Robinson was begging to be parodied in cartoons, and "Racketeer Rabbit" with Bugs Bunny was perhaps one of the greatest tributes to Robinson before Bogart would dethrone him in "Slick Hare". The gangster, as played by Robinson, was the perfect inspiration for comedy, but here's a trap where the film could have fallen into, yet thanks to Robinson's natural talent, it didn't.Robinson finds the perfect tone to adapt to comedy: he doesn't do anything, he plays his part with seriousness and it works. Even Cary Grant and James Stewart have to pull off some mimics or eye-language to emphasize their comedic style, Robinson keeps being this irreplaceable authority figure, with his cigars, his elegant suits, and his unique way to boss around his boys.. This is a credit to his naturalness when it comes to acting, he's such a larger-than-life character it's the genre that adapts to his persona, not the opposite. It kind of cancels off the whole publicity over his first comedic performance, he's still the same. Only the situations change, but then, they better be funny.The problem, once again, is that the premises are more interesting than the real thing and the film never leaves up to expectations. It starts with the celebration of Prohibition's ending, in Marko's future ex-speakeasy, a scene that reminded me of "Once Upon a Time in America" where a coffin-like cake carrying the name 'Prohibition' was shown to the guests, as if gangsters were mourning their 'Golden Age' and approaching the new one with anxiety. Yet Marko is optimistic, he plans to open many breweries all over America trusting that his Gold Velvet will be profitable. Needless to say that he'll be severely disappointed for there is a large consensus that people mostly drunk his beer because they had no alternative.Marko's quest for legitimacy is the film's running gag, while his boys, on the top of them Allen Jenkins as Mike, the right-hand man, driver and care taker, are nostalgic of the good old days. Yet it's time for all these thugs with dirty mugs to behave properly, and even Marko's wife, played by the delightful Ruth Donnelly is priceless when it comes to act sophisticated in the present to better hide a shameful past. "A Slight Case of Murder" is less about criminals than ex-criminals, and naturally, for conflict's sake, they'll be mixed up with a tedious criminal plot, making Marko wonder if he should stay on the level or make a few shortcuts with the law. Surprisingly for a gangster movie, most of it is set in Marko's mansion where four robbers were mysteriously killed by a fellow of them (the comments on their deaths are hilarious). Meanwhile, Marko visits an orphanage to pick up one of the kids for his vacation, and it's the opportunity to enjoy Margaret Hamilton as one of the workers, and one of the dead-end kids as the picked kid. Yet, he won't make much as a comic relief, and his antagonism with Jenkins fell flat most of the case. Another minor flaw is the subplot, Jane Bryan, Robinson's sister in" Kid Galahad" and his daughter now, enamored with a dull start trooper, a copper nonetheless. He comes to party with his father who suffers from heart condition, which leads to some funny yet predictable gags. Many visual gags are childish while the comedy should have relied on the screenplay thanks to the trio Robinson - Donnelly- Jenkins. I guess the premise to have Robinson in a comedy gave the film enough publicity, but it was a time where the gangster genre needed a grand finale and it would finally be over with "High Sierra". Speaking of its star Bogart, the world was about to enter a new World, a new Age, film-noir would be the new defining genre, so I guess audiences had it with old-school gangsters, and wouldn't feel the need to laugh at a gangster screwball comedy, "The Dictator" was more a comedy of its time. Even Robinson will shine in such roles as "Double Indemnity" and "Scarlett Street".A nice little comedy, but the context didn't help.

Although the 1936 stage play by Damon Runyon and Howard Lindsay was only moderately successful (it ran only 70 performances), Warner Brothers bought it as a vehicle for Edward G. Robinson. Now that meant that before the camera turned, the movie had at least two strikes against it. Edward G. is not a comedian. He lacks a comic touch and is totally unconvincing as a brewer who has (1) never tasted his own beer and (2) never listened to innumerable complaints, made over a four-year period. He is in fact a totally unsympathetic character. The rest of the players try their best to take up the slack, but their acting is flat. They are not helped by the talky script with its strictly one-dimensional characterizations. Robinson proves another hindrance with his uncommunicative acting and his constant attempts to hog the camera and override everyone else's lines and bits of business. The movie was directed by Lloyd Bacon who tries to push the story along but is continually stymied by the camera-hogging Robinson's gross overacting. Edward G. doesn't just say his mediocre lines. He shouts them! Don't get me wrong, I like Edward G. – but not as the lead in a comedy. Available on a Warner Brothers DVD.

That great theme of Damon Runyan: Society mixing it up with those who aren't exactly high class. Again, we see this theme in "A Slight Case of Murder."Edward G. Robinson and Ruth Donnelly are fabulous here as husband and wife trying to go straight with the end of prohibition. With it all, you can't take the past from them, no matter how much you try.Four years after going straight, Robinson's brewery has hit rock bottom. Nobody wants to tell the boss that the beer he serves is absolutely terrible.Robinson goes back to the orphanage he grew up in to take the worst child for a month in his summer place. Watch for Margaret Hamilton, one year before her witchcraft in the memorable "Wizard of Oz."As for this film, it has everything, mistaken identity, associates of Robinson, who are a riot by themselves, a wayward brat who proves his mettle, their wonderful daughter engaged to a police officer, his snobbish father caught up in all the mayhem.

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.