by Ted Davis

Directed by: James P. Hogan

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film.

Synopsis: There are no perfect crimes when periodically irritable mystery writer Ellery Queen (Ralph Bellamy) and his stylish and sharp-tongued secretary Nikki Porter (Margaret Lindsay) are on the case, in this instance investigating the murder of unwaveringly ruthless businessman John Matthews (Douglass Dumbrille . . . natch!), whose deceptively mild-mannered son Walter (John Beal) is one of the suspects, which group also includes ruined speculator Ray Jardin (H.B. Warner), his butler Henry (Walter Kingsford) and his greedy adulterous sister Carlotta Emerson (Spring Byington), who is conjoined with devious lawyer Anthony Rhodes (Sidney Blackmer).

Kitty Cameo: Nikki has a screaming fit when conducting a nighttime search by flashlight, and Ellery and clumsy but well-intentioned Sgt. Velie (James Burke) rush to her rescue. The good sergeant fires a shot at a wavering curtain (only seconds after issuing a verbal warning) and the inevitable cat, white furred model, emerges to meow his justifiable complaint before moving out of the frame. (The sergeant managed to miss the actual killer, who was also behind the curtain.)

Final Mewsings: What do you suppose the cat and the murderer were talking about when they were hiding behind the curtain together?

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