The Silver Screen Oasis

Kino Lorber Studio Classics has released its Blu-ray Disc edition of the "notorious" 1934 Pre-Code musical-mystery (or mystery-musical) Murder at the Vanities.

Producer Jack Ellery (Jack Oakie) is having a devil of a time putting on his Broadway musical revue. Someone is murdering cast members. Mallet-headed flatfoot Bill Murdock (Victor McLaglen) considers him a suspect, then tries to pin the murders on his leading man (Carl Brisson). If Murdock shuts down the show, Ellery goes broke. And pesky showgirl Nancy (delectable Toby Wing) keeps interrupting his concentration -- in more ways than one.

Murder at the Vanities is notable for two memorable songs: Cocktails for Two and Sweet Marijuana -- the latter swayingly performed by sultry Rita Ross (Gertrude Michaels).

My Favorite Moment: Jack Oakie breaking "the fourth wall" and shooting a knowing grin to the audience after Jack Ellery finally gives in to the oomphy charms of flirtatious, curvaceous cutie-pie Nancy.

During his informative commentary, "Film Historian" Anthony Slide points out a gum-chewing Lucille Ball in a camera pan of Vanities showgirls. Future stars Ann Sheridan and Alan Ladd are also reportedly among the supporting cast. Slide notes the chilling timeliness and relevance of a white man (thespian Homer Boothby [Charles Middleton] as Franz Liszt) murderously machine-gunning black people (for "raping" Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 -- during the Ebony Rhapsody sequence, which features "Duke" Ellington tickling the ivories).

Kino Lorber offers a beautiful 2K resolution scan of a 35 mm print of Murder at the Vanities. Besides Mr. Slide's commentary, the disc includes trailers for five captivating (I was captivated) movies directed by Mitchell Leisen.

Offering an audacious ode to weed (that incensed the League of Nations!), racy dialogue (Ellery: "Well, Nancy, what shall we do?" Nancy: "Oh, Mr. Ellery!" Ellery: "Uh-oh! Come on! Let's do it!") and provocative and erotic expositions of "The Most Beautiful Girls in the World," Murder at the Vanities is a prime example of Pre-Code Hollywood Movies that put the "Sin" in Cinema.

Murder at the Vanities Blu-ray Disc

CineSavant Review

It Came from the Bottom Shelf Review

Jackson’s Pre-Code Essentials Review

Kozak's Classic Cinema Review

Bright Lights Film Journal Review

Pre-Code Corner: “Sweet Marijuana” and Murder at the Vanities

The Earl Carroll Vanities

Mitchell Leisen

Anthony Slide

Thank you, EP Millstone!

Murder at the Vanities is awesome! I watched it for the first time on the Criterion Channel in March when they featured a series on Paramount PreCode. I was so disappointed when I discovered this film was only available on an out of print DVD. Then lo and behold, literally within a couple weeks of watching the film, Kino Lorber comes through with the announcement that they were releasing this film on blu ray! I got my blu ray last week, alongside two more of Kino's awesome recent releases--The Turning Point and The Strange Love of Martha Ivers.

In Murder at the Vanities, my mouth was agape when the close-up of the program revealed that the upcoming number was titled the "The Rape of the Rhapsody," then within that number was the "Ebony Rhapsody." I also loved the other woman's ode to marijuana, "Sweet Marijuana."