The Penquin Pool Murder
Tags: mystery, murder, humor

Plot synopsis:
Gwen Parker (Mae Clarke) meets her former boyfriend Philip Seymour (Donald Cook) at the local aquarium and asks him for some money so she can leave her husband, stockbroker Gerald Parker. However, Mr. Parker receives an anonymous telephone call tipping him off to the rendezvous. When he confronts the pair, Seymour knocks him out with a punch. As there are no witnesses to the altercation, he hides the unconscious man in the room behind an exhibit.
Schoolteacher Hildegarde Withers (Edna May Oliver) takes her class on a field trip to the aquarium. Shortly after tripping up fleeing pickpocket "Chicago" Lew (though he gets away), she loses her hatpin; one of her students finds it. Then Miss Withers sees Parker's now-dead body falling into a pool housing a penguin. Police Inspector Oscar Piper (James Gleason) arrives and uncovers several suspects: the widow and Seymour; Bertrand Hemingway (Clarence Wilson), the head of the aquarium, who had financial dealings with the deceased; Chicago Lew, found near the scene; and even Miss Withers herself, as it is later determined that her hatpin was driven through the man's right ear into the brain. Bystander and lawyer Barry Costello (Robert Armstrong) catches Gwen Parker when she faints, and acquires a client when she is taken in for questioning.
Seymour confesses to protect Mrs. Parker, but Miss Withers does not believe him. She convinces Piper to notify the press that the murder was committed with a thrust through the left ear.
Later, Costello passes along a message from Chicago Lew, in which he claims to know the identity of the killer. However, when Piper and Miss Withers go to see him at the jail, they find him dead from hanging. Costello concocts a way in which Seymour could have escaped from his nearby cell using a duplicate key (which is found), strangled Lew, and hanged him with wire without entering Lew's cell.
At the murder trial of Philip Seymour and Gwen Parker, while questioning Miss Withers, Costello slips up, showing that he knew that Gerald Parker was killed via the right ear. The motive is that he is Gwen Parker's current lover.
When Gwen Parker is released, the waiting Seymour slaps her in the face, to the amusement of Piper and Miss Withers. Piper then unexpectedly asks Miss Withers to marry him. She accepts. (However, in the sequel, Murder on the Blackboard, they are still single.)

Review: With the coming of sound to the movies and "the Crash" to the stock market, musicals, screwball comedies and tightly plotted "cozy" mysteries became staples of 30's film going and frequently a valuable, if unintentional, tour of the decade's culture (one of the potential motives of one of the suspects in THE PENGUIN POOL MURDERS is a "margin call" on a brokerage account about to be wiped out by falling stock prices!).In 1932, a year after Dashiel Hammett had introduced the "hard boiled" detective to novels and films with his Sam Spade in THE MALTESE FALCON (a decade before the Oscar winning remake we all know today!), while Philo Vance was still at his peak, Charlie Chan had just started his marathon run, and two years before Dashiel Hammett would backtrack to seemingly invent the "comedy mystery" in the first of the THIN MAN series, Stuart Palmer's "Hildegarde Withers" stories were pointing the way to that perfect bantering comedy.Miss Withers was one of the first screen characters to build on "the little old lady" detectives first introduced by Mary Roberts Rinehart and later to be highly polished - though with fewer comic overtones - in Agatha Christie's Miss Marple tales.Beautifully acerbic character actress Edna May Oliver first assayed the plum role of Withers in THE PENGUIN POOL MURDER, playing every stereotype of the prim, corseted but observant, spinster school teacher for all they were worth against the background of a solidly plotted mystery and a grand supporting cast headed by perennial mystery fixture James Gleason as the much put-upon Inspector Piper.
A New York City now long vanished became an active part of the supporting cast.While Miss Oliver chose not to be pinned down to the continuing Withers role after only three films (THE PENGUIN POOL MURDER - '32, MURDER AT THE BLACKBOARD - '34 and MURDER ON A HONEYMOON - '35), passing on the part to solid comedienne Helen Broderick for the less well written but enjoyable and frequently aired MURDER ON THE BRIDAL PATH - '36 and (with less effect) fine supporting comedienne Zasu Pitts for a final two (THE PLOT THICKENS - '36, and FORTY NAUGHTY GIRLS - '37), all the Withers' films are fun - but the Olivers are the best of the bunch.Connoisseurs of period mystery should especially treasure THE PENGUIN POOL MURDER for its location shots of some now vanished (or at least radically transformed) Manhattan landmarks - most notably the then New York City Aquarium (long before the institution decamped to Brooklyn).
If you're going to be in New York, don't miss this increasingly meaningful piece of sculpture - but first see its setting as it looked 70 years earlier in delightful PENGUIN POOL MURDERS!.
Because of this, it was cute to see that through the course of the film, Gleason's character fell for Miss Withers--he grew to love and respect her just like the audience did throughout the film.For the genre, this is about as good a film as you'll find--plus, it has cute penguins and Edna May Oliver!!
Well it isn't at all.Add to all of this schoolteacher Hildegarde Withers (Edna Mae Oliver) is in the aquarium at the time of the murder with her students conducting a tour of the exhibits, and that she has quite the penchant for solving mysteries as well as agitating the detective on the case, Oscar Piper (James Gleason), and you have a great little precode mystery here.What really makes this film stand out is the chemistry of the leads, Gleason and Oliver.
Then there are those great precode one-liners from Oliver, not the kind of stuff you'd expect from a prim and proper spinster such as Hildegarde.Highly recommended as an excellent start to a good series of mystery films starring Oliver and Gleason..
When I reat a little bit about it, it didn't sound too interesting, but since I like the pre-code period so much, and I'd never seen an Edna Mae Oliver film before (other than a tiny snippet from Saturday Night Kid) I decided that I might as well go and see it.PPM is a fast-paced and hilarious murder mystery, still as gleefully enjoyable as it was upon it's first release.
Edna Mae Oliver and James Gleason were two of the best character actors in Hollywood in the "golden age" of film making.
And in THE PENGUIN POOL MURDERS they joined together as Hildegarde Withers and Inspector Piper of the New York Police Department.
From start to finish this film crackles with wit and is filled with visual tics and quirks that lead us to the conclusion that these are two souls that we will not soon want to forget.Helen Broderick tried unsuccessfully to fill Ms. Oliver's shoes in the fourth and final installment of the Withers' series "Murder on a Bridle Path" but there was no chemistry between Gleason and Broderick as well as the fact, that it was not a well written entry.
As there are many reviews correctly praising the work of Edna Mae Oliver, James Gleason, and RKO studios set decorating department, suffice it to say that this is an outstanding opening entry into the Hildegarde Withers mystery series.
Most of the action of "The Penguin Pool Murders" takes place in a recreation of the beautiful New York Aquarium, which charmed and delighted resident and tourist alike for almost half a century beginning in 1896.
The mystery itself is first rate with Edna Mae Oliver and James Gleason exuding great humor and personal chemistry as two enjoyably mismatched detectives in this very intriguing whodunit..
The first of three films for Oliver as novelist Stuart Palmer's fiftyish caustic, snoopy schoolteacher Miss Withers, the movie was a major hit in 1932 and one can see why even today, the duologue is hilarious, the setting quite novel, and the cast is fine, especially Oliver and James Gleason who have such a superb team chemistry together is near tragic they only made three films together (Oliver left RKO-Radio Pictures in 1935 and the studio unwisely decided to carry on the series with different actresses much to moviegoers - and author Stuart Palmer's - displeasure.) The plot has been dealt with by other posters so I won't go in to it but even if murder mysteries are not your thing, if you love a good comedy you'll will thoroughly enjoy this picture as Oliver gets off some delicious zingers, mostly at the semi-incompetent Inspector Piper (Gleason)'s expense.
The movie boasts two cultish 1930's leading ladies in support cast quite against character, Mae Clarke in an unusually glamorous role for her as one of the suspects and most surprising, Rochelle Hudson, best known for her ultra-wholesome ingénues, painted up like a back street hooker as a floozy of a telephone operator who has a hilarious run-in with Miss Withers.
At least there are a dozen or so Miss Withers novels by Stuart Palmer ( many still in print including THE PENGUIN POOL MURDER) for us to cast her again in our minds eye again in the role.
PENGUIN POOL MURDER (RKO Radio, 1932), directed by George Archainbaud, the first (and best) of six film mystery series featuring Stuart Palmer's fictional character of Hildegarde Withers, a spinster schoolteacher, who matches wits with Oscar Piper, a New York City police inspector, is a rare find these days, considering how it predates Agatha Christie's better known female sleuth of Miss Marple.
In retrospect, Hildegarde becomes a detective on her own only when the police cannot solve or deduct any clues she encounters, and yet, not being on a professional level when crime solving is concerned, proves that experience is not the issue, but the powers of deduction are.The story opens with an air view of New York City's Battery Park where various characters are introduced: Gwen (Mae Clarke), a young woman married to Gerald Parker (Guy Usher), a middle-aged businessman, having secret rendezvous with her lover, Philip Seymour (Donald Cook) at an aquarium.
After learning that Parker was murdered with the use of her own hat pin found plunged into his right ear drum to the brain, Hildegarde decides to take matters into her own hands by becoming a crime solver herself, much to the dismay of Inspector Oscar Piper.The success to the initial pairing of Edna May Oliver and James Gleason lead to several sequels, all featuring Gleason, two more starring Oliver, including MURDER ON THE BLACKBOARD (1934) and MURDER ON A HONEYMOON (1935), one with Helen Broderick in MURDER ON THE BRIDLE PATH (1936), and two featuring ZaSu Pitts in THE PLOT THICKENS (1936) and FORTY NAUGHTY GIRLS (1937).
While Broderick physically was a satisfactory substitute for Oliver, though no where as good as Oliver, the series actually fell apart once it acquired Pitts services, which brought an end to what might have become a long running film series.Supporting cast consists of Edgar Kennedy as Donovan; Robert Armstrong as Barry Costello, the attorney; Gustav Von Seyffertitz as Max Von Donnen, the lab expert; Clarence Wilson as the aquarium director; Sidney Miller as the typical know-it-all student; and Rochelle Hudson as the Switchboard Girl.
Edgar Kennedy, famous for his "slow-burn" characterizations in numerous features and comedy shorts, is completely bald in this installment, mainly due to the fact that he was playing Daddy Warbucks in LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE (1932) with Mitzi Green, about the same time he was working in PENGUIN POOL MURDER.Never distributed to video or DVD, and at one time a late night show favorite on commercial TV channels, and formerly shown on cable television's American Movie Classics from the 1980s to 1998, at then on Turner Classic Movies where it had once been presented some years ago as part of viewer's request night.In spite of its age, PENGUIN POOL MURDER surprisingly holds up well, thanks to the perfect casting of the horse-faced Edna May Oliver and New York sounding James Gleason in the leads, a well written and occasionally witty screenplay by Willis Goldbeck, and although viewers might guess whom the killer might be before it is all over, it's certainly fun to sit through this one to see through Hildegarde's power of deduction how she gets to trick the killer into reveal him or herself.
Even if the mystery becomes too familiar to be suspenseful upon repeated viewings, THE PENGUIN POOL MURDER can still be savored due to Oliver and Gleason's marvelous chemistry..
Edna May Oliver plays the gawky ,spinsterish and bespectacled amateur sleuth Hildegarde Withers -the sort of person who always carries a neatly rolled umbrella irrespective of the weather-who teams up with wisecracking policeman Inspector Piper(James Gleason)to solve the murder of Gerald Brooks (Guy Usher).The title derives from the murder location -the Battery Park Acquarium.
There is no shortage of suspects-from the Acquarium director (Clarence H Webb)to the ungrieving widow of the deceased (Mae Clark)and one of her lovers (Donald Cook).Together they set a trap to unmask the killer.Oliver and Gleason work well together and they are blessed with a witty script by Willis Goldbeck as well as some pacey direction from George Archainbaud This was the first of a series and is a good example of solid studio professionalism from its era.
In the early 1930's, the marvelous character actress Edna May Oliver starred in a three-film series as spinster school teacher/murder detective Hildegarde Withers.
The films are fun, but the main reason to spend the time is Miss Edna May.In this, the first of the series, Miss Oliver discovers a very dead body floating in the penguin pool in the New York City Aquarium.
Even with her class in tow, she wastes not a moment in starting to gather clues.James Gleason is great as the police detective trying to solve the crime HIS way; others in the cast include Robert Armstrong, Edgar Kennedy & the lovely Mae Clarke.
Schoolteacher Hildegarde Withers (Edna May Oliver) and Inspector Piper (James Gleason) team up to find out.It's creaky in spots and some of the acting is bad but, all in all, this is an enjoyable murder comedy.
Oliver (a WONDERFUL character actress) is letter perfect as Withers and Gleason is just great as gruff Inspector Piper.
Fun start to a brief detective series featuring the character of Hildegarde Withers and her beau Inspector Piper.
Penguin Pool Murder (1932) *** (out of 4) The first film in RKO's Hildegarde Withers series features Edna May Oliver in the role who teams up with Inspector Piper (James Gleason) to try and find the murderer of a stockbroker whose body turned up in a penguin pool.
Penguin Pool Murder from 1932 stars Edna May Oliver, James Gleason, Mae Clarke, and Donald Cook.
It's a B movie, the first of the Hildegarde Withers series.While Miss Withers is with her students at the aquarium, the body of a stockbroker, Gerald Parker, is found in the penguin tank.His wife Gwen (Clarke) is suspected, as she had a boyfriend (Cook) there at the time.The inspector on the case, Piper (Gleason) has to put up with a witness -- Miss Withers, who else -- who has all kinds of opinions and advice.
It stars Edna May Oliver, James Gleason, Robert Armstrong and Mae Clarke.
The Penguin Pool Murder is the start of their wonderful union, and although the mystery element is weak on this one, the all round quality of the production (sets and photography) and the spirited work of cast and director ensures a great time can be had here.
After a dead body is found in the penguin tank, Ms. Oliver teams up with police inspector James Gleason (as Oscar Piper) to solve the murder...This was the first in a series of movies based on characters created by novelist Stuart Palmer.
Also, the ending event was reconsidered off screen, in Mr. Palmer's second book.****** The Penguin Pool Murder (1932-12-09) George Archainbaud ~ Edna May Oliver, James Gleason, Robert Armstrong, Mae Clarke.
It's a quick and sometimes hilarious case.Gleason locks up about half of the cast over the course of the film; eventually he's positive he's got the right man and vows to turn in his badge if he's wrong, to which Oliver responds: "If you turned in a badge every time you suspected the wrong person in this case, the department would have to have a special trophy room for them." Gleason is not discouraged ("Don't mind the badge situation, I can take care of that") but he has gradually come to value her ideas and ingenuity.It's a lively partnership between two gruffly charming characters—the two stars are excellent, and are both at their best when on the screen together.A fun supporting cast includes Robert Armstrong as a lawyer who appears somewhat mysteriously; Mae Clark and Donald Cook as attractive young suspects who may or may not fall (or be) in love; the wonderful Clarence Wilson, he of the bald head, mustache, and eternal twitch, as aquarium manager Bertram B.
Far from creaky and mannered as the year might suggest, this is instead a lively little film in which a murder takes place in an aquarium, the doors are locked and then a couple of sleuths have to figure out who's responsible.The movie is notable for being the first outing for the character of Miss Withers, an unlikely crime-solver who would go on to star in other mystery dramas.
When young Sidney Miller and Oliver both notice a body in the penguin pool, the game's afoot.The body is that of the late Guy Usher and as in the case of most murder mysteries a lot of people who would like him dead happen to be in the aquarium.
That does not stop Hannon from making a lucrative living as a dip.The Penguin Pool Murder's biggest asset is the chemistry between polar opposites aristocratic Edna May Oliver and the plebeian police inspector James Gleason who investigates the homicide.
Zasu Pitts and Helen Broderick would add their own take to it for single appearances at RKO, and Eve Arden would bring the character back in a TV movie 40 years later, but other than Arden, who had the benefit of years between the character's appearance, Pitts and Broderick were both too different than Oliver to make the character seem to be the same person, especially with James Gleason around as her initial foe and later beau Oscar Piper for all five of the RKO series.In "The Penguin Pool Murder", an aquarium is the spot for murder, and leave it to chance for Hildegard Withers to be there.
"I'm a schoolteacher and I might have done wonders for you if I'd caught you early enough!!!" so starts the witty repartee between Hildegarde Withers and Inspector Piper, and a great movie partner- ship was born.This was the first film in a far too short series.
Stuart Palmer created the character of Hildegarde Withers (Edna May Oliver) and the very exasperated Police Inspector Piper (James Gleason).
Oliver made 3 Hildegarde Withers films - "The Penguin Pool Murder", "Murder on a Blackboard" (1934) and "Murder on a Honeymoon" (1935).
A school teacher and a police inspector join forces to discover the murder of a man found dead in a penguin pool at an aquarium.
Only seventy minutes but worth every minute.Playing the school teacher turned detective Hildegarde Withers for the first time (two further films followed with her in the lead) Edna May Oliver is perfectly cast.
***SPOILERS*** Excellent detective movie involving spinster teacher Hilderard Martha Winters, Edna May Oliver, solving a murder mystery that New York's police top detective Oscar Piper, James Gleason, couldn't even get a handle on.It's when stockbroker Gerald Parker, Guy Usher, is found dead after being dumped in the Battery Park Aquarium's penguin pool that it's the late Gerald Parker's wife's Gwen's, Mea Cark, former boyfriend Philip Seymour, Donald Cook, who's suspected in his murder.
And, her interactions with James Gleason are just wonderful.Oliver plays a spinsterish school teacher here who helps solve a murder that takes place at the New York City Aquarium.