The Costello Case (1930)

movie

(35)

Country: USA
Genres: Crime, Drama
Release: 1930-10-15
Director: Walter Lang
Writers: F. McGrew Willis
Language: English
Stars: Tom Moore , Lola Lane , Roscoe Karns , Wheeler Oakman , Russell Hardie , William B. Davidson , Dorothy Vernon , Jack Richardson , W.E. Lawrence , Millard K. Wilson
Runtime: 65 min
Awards: N/A
AKA: The Costello Case , The Costello Murder Case (Ireland) , The Costello Case (United States of America) , The Costello Murder Case (United Kingdom)
Plot: This poverty row crime drama is as visually static as most films made the year before, plus the dialogue could use some fleshing out. However, I'd still recommend it. As the other reviewer said, don't think that the first 10 minutes is a sample of how the rest of the film goes. It never really picks up in pace but it does get interesting with some fine twists and turns and good performances put in by all concerned whose acting transcends the pedestrian dialogue and, quite frankly, some pretty dopey moves made by both cops and criminals in this one. In fact, some of the silliness that goes on is part of the unintentional entertainment here.The mystery centers around the murder of an undertaker and a missing fifty thousand dollars from his safe. The police captain then involves a young couple that seems puzzled as to why they have been picked up yet seem to be hiding something. You are then treated to one of the worst examples of police interrogation in the annals of film - "You killed him for the money and she was the look-out!" "You killed him for revenge and he was the look-out!" "You did it together"...I mean, come on, if you are going to get a confession out of a perp you at least need to make sure you don't change your story more often than the perp does! Great fun for early sound enthusiasts, for all others your mileage may vary.
IMDB:tt0020792