I thoroughly enjoyed Murder At The Vanities, a film I'd only heard about in passing, but now thankfully, it is part of my collection.Brilliantly conceived and executed by a wonderful ensemble with every role perfectly played. Dorothy Stickney does deserve a special nod as the maid. She is unforgettable.I've rarely heard Kitty Carlyle sing, knowing her only from What's My Line? And the Song Of Norway cast album. She does very well as the female lead. This is the fifth film of Carl Brisson's I've seen and as usual, he is charming and debonair, with an effervescent personality and a lovely voice. Good use is made of the always dependable Jessie Ralph in a pivotal supporting role and Gertrude Michael as the villainess is a rare find. McLaglen and Oakie make great sparring partners as respectively, the homicide detective and the stage manager, trying to keep an opening night running smooth despite multiple murders off-stage.Songs: Cocktails For Two; Where Did They Come From?; Live And Love Tonight; Marijuana; Ebony Rhapsody.Lucille Ball, Ann Sheridan and Alan Ladd are to be glimpsed as extras, both Ball and Sheridan multiple times.Act One ends about 51 minutes into the action and my print ran a total of 1:29:30.An absolute delight from beginning to end. I'm astounded it is not better known to the movie public. Don't miss it!

Murder At The Vanities is probably best known for introducing Cocktails For Two by the Paramount songwriting team of Arthur Johnston and Sam Coslow. But the straight version of the ballad sung and introduced here by Carl Brisson of Denmark has been totally eclipsed by the madcap version of Spike Jones who did the song with the usual charm and dignity associated with him. Other than Cocktails For Two, Murder At The Vanities concerns a pair of homicides of some of the women in the show. Homicide cop Victor McLaglen is on the case and he zeroes in on Brisson who has some past connection with both of the deceased who are Gail Patrick and Gertrude Michael as well as his current squeeze Kitty Carlisle. He'd like to arrest Brisson right then and there, but director Jack Oakie is at his wit's end wanting to keep the show going because he feels he has a hit. Oakie frustrates McLaglen at every turn, but despite the backstage homicides the show does go on.This film beat it under the wire for the Code otherwise we would not have a song in it extolling the virtues of marijuana. Take note of two other good performances, Dorothy Stickney as a much put upon maid and Toby Wing who created a character that Marie Wilson would hone to perfection at Warner Brothers as one dumb as nails platinum blond.Despite all the beauty, the real entertainment in this case is the rivalry between McLaglen and Oakie who work at cross purposes, but eventually things turn out right.

Mitchell Leisen's fifth feature as director, and he shows his versatility by directing a musical, after his previous movies were heavy dramas. He also plays a cameo as the conductor.You can tell it is a pre code movie, and nothing like it was made in the US for quite a while afterwards (like 30+ years). Leisen shot the musical numbers so they were like what the audience would see - no widescreen shots or from above ala Busby Berkeley. What I do find funny or interesting is that you never actually see the audience.As others have mentioned the leads are fairly characterless, and Jack Oakie and Victor McLaghlan play their normal movie personas. Gertrude Michael however provides a bit of spark.The musical numbers are interesting and some good (the Rape of the Rhapsody in particular is amusing) but the drama unconvincing and faked - three murders is too many and have minimal emotional impact on the characters. This is where this movie could have been a lot better.

Despite the lavish production numbers and wonderful costumes this film is a chore to watch. The murder-mystery plot is just a vehicle to mount the musical numbers on but it often brings the proceedings to a staggering halt besides not being very involving. Although there has obviously been a lot of money spent on them the numbers are badly staged and poorly photographed. It's obviously a pre-code film because the girls often wear very little clothing and there's even a song singing the praises of marijuana! The performances are all one-note although it's nice to see Carl Brisson in a musical but when Victor McLaglen, as the police Lieutenent, lurches into view for the umpteenth time on the hunt for clues, you may want to throw in the towel or at least fast-forward to the next number. Pity the patrons who were trapped in the cinema on its release though!