Murder on a Honeymoon

Murder on a Honeymoon
Directed by	Lloyd Corrigan
Produced by	Kenneth Macgowan
Written by	Stuart Palmer (novel) Robert Benchley Seton I. Miller
Starring	Edna May Oliver James Gleason Lola Lane George Meeker
Music by	Alberto Colombo
Cinematography	Nick Musuraca
Editing by	William Morgan
Distributed by	RKO Radio Pictures
Release date(s)	February 22, 1935 (1935-02-22)
Running time	74 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Murder on a Honeymoon (1935) is a mystery film starring Edna May Oliver and James Gleason. This was the third and last time Oliver portrayed astute schoolteacher Hildegarde Withers, who in this film witnesses the death of an airplane passenger. The film was based on the novel The Puzzle of the Pepper Tree by Stuart Palmer.

Plot

On a short flight to Catalina Island off the California coast, a passenger on a seaplane calling himself Roswell T. Forrest (Brooks Benedict) gets sick. Hildegarde Withers and the others aboard are startled when he is found dead upon landing. It appears to be murder to Miss Withers, but she has a tough time convincing local Police Chief Britt (Spencer Charters) and coroner Dr. O'Rourke (Arthur Hoyt).

When she contacts her friend, Police Inspector Oscar Piper (James Gleason), for more information about the deceased, he recognizes the name: the man was a vital witness in a case against a crime syndicate and had a price on his head of $10,000. He flies from New York to assist her in investigating the case.

When he arrives, the pair argue over which of the people aboard the plane is the killer:

• Joseph B. Tate (Leo G. Carroll), a famous Hollywood director
• struggling actress Phyllis La Font (Lola Lane), who is angling for a part in Tate's next movie
• honeymooners Kay (Dorothy Libaire) and Marvin Deving (Harry Ellerbe)
• Captain Beegle (DeWitt Jennings), a retired, self-confessed former rum runner and
• pilots Dick French (Chick Chandler) and Madden (Matt McHugh).

Withers suspects poisoning (Forrest had been given a drink, a cigarette, and even a dose of smelling salts by Withers herself), but before this can be confirmed, the body is stolen. While Piper questions those involved, she discovers that McArthur (Morgan Wallace), the gangster who had offered the reward for Forrest's death, has registered at the hotel under the flimsy alias of Arthur Mack. When she eavesdrops on his telephone conversation, she learns that he will be leaving an envelope for someone. She purloins it from the mailbox and finds $10,000 inside.

More murders occur. Marvin Deving is shot and killed just before he can reveal some information to Piper. Meanwhile, Withers and Piper learn that the first victim was not Forrest, but his bodyguard Tom Kelsey. He and the real Forrest (George Meeker) had switched identities. McArthur is also found dead. Though it is staged to look like a suicide, Withers notices that the pistol in his hand is not his own (he had earlier threatened her with his weapon).

When an employee complains that the fish in the hotel pool are all dead, Withers finds a pack of cigarettes discarded nearby; one of the cigarettes had fallen into the water. With the murder weapon found, all the pieces come together. Withers takes Piper to see the grieving Kay. She offers the widow a cigarette, then casually mentions where she got it. When Kay refuses to smoke it, Withers tells Piper that McArthur's gun must be in the room. Kay pulls it out and tells them that she will have to kill them both now, but Withers manages to distract her, enabling Piper to disarm her. It turns out that the Devings thought they had been doublecrossed by McArthur when they did not receive their reward (unaware that Withers had taken it). When Marvin tried to betray McArthur in return, he was killed by his employer. Kay then did in McArthur.

Cast

• Edna May Oliver as Hildegarde Withers
• James Gleason as Inspector Oscar Piper
• Lola Lane as Phyllis La Font
• George Meeker as Tom Kelsey / Roswell T. Forrest
• Dorothy Libaire as Kay Deving
• Harry Ellerbe as Marvin Deving
• Chick Chandler as Pilot Dick French
• Willie Best as Willie, the porter (as Sleep n’ Eat)
• Leo G. Carroll as Director Joseph B. Tate
• DeWitt Jennings as Captain Beegle
• Spencer Charters as Chief Britt
• Arthur Hoyt as Dr. O'Rourke
• Matt McHugh as Pilot Madden
• Morgan Wallace as McArthur aka Arthur Mack
• Brooks Benedict as Roswell T. Forrest

References

External links

• Murder on a Honeymoon at the TCM Movie Database
• Murder on a Honeymoon at the Internet Movie Database
• Murder on a Honeymoon at AllRovi