Super-Sleuth (1937)

Director: Benjamin Stoloff
Starring: Jack Oakie, Ann Sothern, Eduardo Cianelli

Synopsis:
Buffoonish actor Willard Martin is in the middle of a row with the police department for disparaging their detective work compared to his own exploits on the silver screen. Martin soon finds himself in a real-life mystery when the killer known as the Poison Pen begins to target him.

Impressions:
I was expecting a fairly standard 30s/40s mystery. What I wasn't expecting was a lot of screwball slapstick comedy. This film is in truth more comedy than mystery, so the appeal mostly boils down to how much you like hijinx. The physical and verbal comedy isn't bad. More sensitive viewers might be offended by the Uncle Tomfoolery of Martin's manservant Warts. (I thought it was kinda funny, but in the back of my mind I figured I'd probably get my tail kicked for laughing.) Clocking in at mere 70 minutes, this is a quick dose of entertainment if the premise interest you.

Rating:
50/50