The Spanish Cape Mystery (1935)

Detective "Ellery Queen" (Donald Cook) sets off with Justice "Macklin" (Merton Churchill) for a holiday on the Californian Spanish Cape. They have hardly had a chance to rub on the factor 30 before there is a kidnap and a murder at the neighbouring home of the "Godfrey" family, and what with "Queen" being quite keen on the daughter "Stella" (Helen Twelvetrees) they chip into the investigation. The mystery itself is all a bit routine, but it does have some fun dialogue between the star and local sheriff "Moley" (Harry Stubbs) and as the bodies start to pop up all over the place, the entire family (and their staff) are in the frame to keep the pace moving along OK. The production is a little on the basic side, but there is enough decent chemistry and some enjoyable wittiness on screen to keep it interesting for 70 minutes.