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6.0 / 10(13 votes)IMDb19401h 2mUnited States of America

Calling Philo Vance

Synopsis

Philo is in Vienna working for the US Government to see if Archer Coe is selling aircraft designs to foreign powers. He grabs the plans with Archer's signature, but is captured by police before he can escape. Deported he comes back to America and plans to confront Archer, but Archer is found dead in his locked bedroom with a gun in his hand. While it looks like a suicide, Vance knows better and the coroner finds that Archer has been shot, hit with a blunt instrument and stabbed - making suicide unlikely. But Vance is on the case and is looking to see if government secrets have been sold and who has murdered Coe. This is a remake of "The Kennel Murder Case" using aircraft designs and espionage instead of Chinese porcelain and dog shows.

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Release History & Theatrical Window

World Premiere

Los Angeles, California

Festival / Special Debut

Theatrical Premiere

February 3, 1940

Wide Cinema Exhibition

Key Information & Fast Facts

Director
William Clemens
Screenplay & Story
Tom Reed
Original Title
Calling Philo Vance
Country of Origin
United States of America
Spoken Languages
English
Runtime
1h 2m
Production Studios
Warner Bros. Pictures

Creative Leadership & Key Crew

Director

William Clemens

Screenplay & Story

Tom Reed, S.S. Van Dine

Director of Photography

L. William O'Connell

Film Editing

Louis Lindsay, Ben G. Liss

Literary Origin & Source Material
Novel:S.S. Van Dine

Department Leadership Roster

L. William O'Connell

Director of Photography

Louis Lindsay

Editor

Ben G. Liss

Editor

Howard Shoup

Costume Design

William Clemens

William Clemens

Director

Tom Reed

Screenplay

Official cinematic photography and background stills for Calling Philo Vance.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Calling Philo Vance

Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.

What is Calling Philo Vance about?

Philo is in Vienna working for the US Government to see if Archer Coe is selling aircraft designs to foreign powers. He grabs the plans with Archer's signature, but is captured by police before he can escape. Deported he comes back to America and plans to confront Archer, but Archer is found dead in his locked bedroom with a gun in his hand. While it looks like a suicide, Vance knows better and the coroner finds that Archer has been shot, hit with a blunt instrument and stabbed - making suicide unlikely. But Vance is on the case and is looking to see if government secrets have been sold and who has murdered Coe. This is a remake of "The Kennel Murder Case" using aircraft designs and espionage instead of Chinese porcelain and dog shows.

Who directed Calling Philo Vance?

Calling Philo Vance was directed by William Clemens.

Who stars in Calling Philo Vance?

The principal cast of Calling Philo Vance includes James Stephenson, Margot Stevenson, Henry O'Neill, Edward Brophy, Sheila Bromley.

When was Calling Philo Vance released and how long is it?

Calling Philo Vance was released in 1940 with a total runtime of 1h 2m.

Is Calling Philo Vance based on a book or true story?

Calling Philo Vance is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "S.S. Van Dine".