The Canary Murder Case
“Who killed the most beautiful woman on Broadway?”
Synopsis
A beautiful showgirl, name "the Canary" is a scheming nightclub singer. Blackmailing is her game and with that she ends up dead. But who killed "the Canary". All the suspects knew and were used by her and everyone had a motive to see her dead. The only witness to the crime has also been 'rubbed out'. Only one man, the keen, fascinating, debonair detective Philo Vance, would be able to figure out who is the killer.
Part of the Philo Vance Collection
Stream the entire interconnected saga and experience every installment in chronological storyline order.
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
William Powell
Philo Vance
James Hall
Jimmie Spottswoode
Louise Brooks
The Canary
Jean Arthur
Alice LaFosse
Charles Lane
Charles Spottswoode
Lawrence Grant
John Cleaver
Gustav von Seyffertitz
Dr. Ambrose Lindquist
E.H. Calvert
District Attorney Markham (as Captain E. H. Calvert)
Eugene Pallette
Sergeant Heath
Ned Sparks
Tony Skeel
Louis John Bartels
Louis Mannix
Tim Adair
George Y. Harvey (uncredited)
Margaret Livingston
Body Double for Louise Brooks (uncredited)
Oscar Smith
Stuttering Hallboy (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
February 16, 1929
Wide Cinema Exhibition
May 21, 2024
Physical Home Media
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Malcolm St. Clair, Frank Tuttle
- Screenplay & Story
- Florence Ryerson
- Original Score
- Karl Hajos
- Original Title
- The Canary Murder Case
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 22m
- Production Studios
- Paramount Pictures, Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Malcolm St. Clair, Frank Tuttle
Florence Ryerson, Albert S. Le Vino, S.S. Van Dine
Karl Hajos
Cliff Blackstone, Harry Fischbeck
William Shea
Department Leadership Roster
Malcolm St. Clair
Director
Frank Tuttle
Director
Florence Ryerson
Screenplay
William Shea
Editor
Travis Banton
Costume Design
Cliff Blackstone
Director of Photography
Harry Fischbeck
Director of Photography
Karl Hajos
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Canary Murder Case.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Canary Murder Case.
list2
Movies
Public Domain
Movies in the public domain in the United States. References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_in_the_public_domain_in_the_United_States archive.org
Pre-Code Hollywood
Pre-Code Hollywood films, 1929 to 1934.
Film Noir extraordinaire
Some of my favourite film noirs
Book Adaptations
Similar Titles to The Canary Murder Case
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
7.6
4.5
8.1
7.3
7.0
6.1
7.0
6.7
6.9
6.9
6.0
5.9
6.0
7.4
6.4
6.6
7.6
7.5
6.2
More Like The Canary Murder Case
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Canary Murder Case
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Canary Murder Case about?
A beautiful showgirl, name "the Canary" is a scheming nightclub singer. Blackmailing is her game and with that she ends up dead. But who killed "the Canary". All the suspects knew and were used by her and everyone had a motive to see her dead. The only witness to the crime has also been 'rubbed out'. Only one man, the keen, fascinating, debonair detective Philo Vance, would be able to figure out who is the killer.
Who directed The Canary Murder Case?
The Canary Murder Case was directed by Malcolm St. Clair, Frank Tuttle.
Who stars in The Canary Murder Case?
The principal cast of The Canary Murder Case includes William Powell, James Hall, Louise Brooks, Jean Arthur, Charles Lane.
When was The Canary Murder Case released and how long is it?
The Canary Murder Case was released in 1929 with a total runtime of 1h 22m.
Who composed the musical score for The Canary Murder Case?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Canary Murder Case was composed by Karl Hajos.
Is The Canary Murder Case based on a book or true story?
The Canary Murder Case is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "S.S. Van Dine".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Canary Murder Case?
The Canary Murder Case holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).