On this day in movie history - The Benson Murder Case (1930 movie & novel):

The Benson Murder Case

directed by Frank Tuttle,

written by S.S. Van Dine and Bartlett Cormack,

based on the novel by S.S. Van Dine,

released in the United States on April 12, 1930.

Music by Charles Midgely.

Cast: William Powell, William “Stage” Boyd, Eugene Pallette, Paul Lukas, Natalie Moorhead, Richard Tucker, May Beatty, E.H. Calvert, Mischa Auer, Guy Oliver.

Recommended reading:

The Benson Murder Case

by S.S. Van Dine.

# 1 in the Philo Vance mystery series.

Published by American Mystery Classics.
First published 1926.

ISBN-10: 1613163320
ISBN-13: 978-1613163320

Description:

New York dilettante Philo Vance decides to assist the police in investigating the death of another man-about-town because he finds the psychological aspects of the crime of interest, and feels that they would be beyond the capacities of the police, even those of his friend District Attorney Markham. Vance investigates the circumstances under which the body was found and reconstructs the crime sufficiently to determine that the murderer is five feet, ten and a half inches in height. Together, Vance and Markham investigate Benson's business associates and romantic interests until Vance manages to pierce the murderer's alibi for the time of the murder and force a confession.