Thatcher Colt, created by Anthony Abbott, combined the grand standing tactics of Perry Mason with the sophistication of Philo Vance. Being described as the "best dressed bachelor in town" Adolphe Menjou was the obvious choice to portray him on the screen but it was unfortunate that Thatcher Colt was lost in the sleuth series shuffle and after "The Circus Queen Murder" was not seen on the screen again for another 9 years. Unfortunate also because Ruthelma Stevens played Kelly as a more than competent right hand gal. In an era where secretaries were either "after office hours" girls or wisecrackers, Kelly stood out as a sensible, no-nonsense type who more than matched Colt for brains. There also weren't many movies that featured Mayo Methot in a starring role - when she was starred (in "Afraid to Talk") she was usually as tough as nails. Her night club lady Lola is no exception, she barks out orders and commands, she seems to be able to take care of herself but she is frightened, all on account of some threatening letters she has been receiving.By using his art of lip reading Colt is soon at her side in the crowded night club and is instrumental in saving her life as a shot is fired amidst the busy new year's eve celebrations. Back at her apartment, she cannot be saved from a cunning killer and Colt could have used Kelly's help in the first part of the film. Skeets Gallagher, usually so flip and funny, takes up too much time here as Colt's dipsy pal. It seems Lola is not the innocent victim that she appears - in one scene Colt has all the usual suspects in his office, her close friends and servants and they all have one thing in common - they are all being black mailed for past brushes with the law and all of them wanted her dead.Apart from an atrocious print and the fact that Kelly doesn't come into her own until the last third of the film, it is a very entertaining and intricate mystery with a couple of red herrings (the houseboy's eagerness to be thought of as another Charlie Chan etc). Even though the action is constrained to only a couple of sets, the unusual plot contrivances (including a suspect who has been dead for a few years) keeps viewer's interest alive!!

Author Anthony Abbot (real name Charles Fulton Oursler), no doubt inspired by the success of S. S. Van Dine's Philo Vance, created the fictional detective Thatcher Colt, New York City Police Commissioner, first appearing in 1930's "About the Murder of Geraldine Foster," finishing with a total of 14 stories in all. Novel number 3, 1931's "About the Murder of the Night Club Lady," served as the inspiration for this attempt at a series from Columbia, casting the debonair and dapper Adolphe Menjou as the sophisticated Police Commissioner, adeptly demonstrating his multilingual lip reading abilities, with screen newcomer Ruthelma Stevens as his faithful assistant Miss Kelly. The lady in question is Lola Carewe (Mayo Methot), whose plans to celebrate New Years Eve are upset by harrowing death threats. Determined to go out anyway, it's Thatcher Colt who learns of her plight by reading her lips across the room, gathering a police force around her in her own apartment. Unfortunately, her appointed midnight date with death really happens, right in the middle of her living room, surrounded by Colt's men. It's a genuine puzzler, greatly benefiting from its pre-code frankness, with Skeets Gallagher and Nat Pendleton providing light comedy relief. Mayo Methot is best remembered, not for her ten year Hollywood career that ended by 1940, but by her tempestuous 7 year marriage to Humphrey Bogart, who gave up on her violent drunkenness for happiness with Lauren Bacall (Mayo had already divorced twice before). While this was Mayo Methot's second film, it was the first for virtual unknown Ruthelma Stevens, whose future career was surprisingly undistinguished, only twelve featured roles out of 29 credits, the last in 1951. Her Miss Kelly is quite a sexy, smart, and savvy presence, perhaps closer to Thatcher Colt than Della Street to Perry Mason. Their best scene has him asking her to lie down on the couch, her priceless, quizzical, and slightly shocked look not precluding her following orders, only for him to demonstrate the murder victim's recumbent position, his ear at her bosom ("well, looks like I'm making progress, eh Kelly?"). The excellent supporting cast includes underrated Teru Shimada, who once passed himself off as Mr. Moto in 1938's "Mr. Moto's Last Warning," but may be more familiar to viewers for his ubiquitous presence on television in the 60s, plus his villainous turn as Osato in the James Bond thriller "You Only Live Twice." A direct sequel followed a year later, "The Circus Queen Murder," then a one-shot at PRC in 1942, "The Panther's Claw."

This is a beautifully directed film, a fast moving whodunit remniscent of Michael Curtiz' THE KENNEL MURDER CASE (which this film preceded by a year). Adolphe Menjou is well in his element as Thatcher Colt (a very Philo Vance-ish figure), and the screenplay crackles with pre-code New York sophistication. Though the entire cast it excellent, the real star of the film is director Irving Cummings, who keeps things constantly moving with interesting camera angles, dolly shots, and even a zoom lens! There was a sequel to this film, THE CIRCUS QUEEN MURDER (1933 - directed by Roy William Neill), which, while still interesting, somewhat lessens its impact by revealing the identity of the murderer less than two/thirds through the film. And CIRCUS QUEEN had no Mura...Mura knows!!!