Truly Dreadful Film

Dreadfully Boring

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

This is definitely a B movie...but it's a fun B movie. And the fun comes in the acting of one of my favorite character actresses -- Edna May Oliver. Oliver was a wonderful supporting actress in a number of films such as "Drums Along The Mohawk". It's nice to see her here as the star of a film (she did several in the genre), albeit one with a story line that's sometimes a bit shaky in terms of the writing. Oliver makes up for that with her classic almost comedic timing and facial expressions.It's unfortunate that the plot is so weak. It's almost as if they were writing the script as they went along, and clues seem to be thrown in as needed, rather than thought out in advance. Most of the characters are not very well developed.However, the two lead characters -- Oliver and character actor James Gleason -- are great and have real chemistry. There are two other films in the series, and others beyond that with different actors.Another interesting factor in the film is that it was produced on the island of Catalina.Hey, if you ever want to just sit and enjoy an hour or so without thinking too much, this is a great film to watch. If you don't Oliver yet, watch this and you won't forget her.

Murder on a Honeymoon is directed by Lloyd Corrigan and adapted to screenplay by Robert Benchley and Seton I. Miller from the novel The Puzzle of the Pepper Tree written by Stuart Palmer. It stars Edna May Oliver, James Gleason, Lola Lane and George Meeker. Music is by Alberto Colombo and cinematography by Nick Musuraca.During a flight to Catalina Island a passenger falls sick and dies. Hildegard Withers (Oliver) smells a rat but has trouble convincing the authorities that murder is evident. Help is on the way, though, in the shape of Hildegard's side-kick, Inspector Oscar Piper (Gleason).The third and last outing for Oliver as fun crime solver Hildegard Withers, Murder on a Honeymoon gets in and does a grand job for entertainment purpose. The by-play between Oliver and Gleason is very precious, harking back to a cinematic time when actors attacked their roles with brio, and here the actors are helped by having humourist Benchley at the writing table. The mystery element is strong, and this even though we only have a small group of suspects, while the big reveal is a genuine surprise as the plot twists into crafty avenues.Phsyical froth meets murder mystery shenanigans. Nice. 7/10

Murder On A Honeymoon finds Edna May Oliver on holiday to Catalina Island where on the small plane she's traveling on, a witness in a mob case from New York is poisoned. The case piques the interest of Oliver's old friend Inspector James Gleason of the NYPD for him to come out and help the Catalina PD.In these three films Edna May is a virtual stand-in for Agatha Christie's Miss Jane Marple who is constantly making fools of the police wherever they may be. But she and Gleason have a really effective chemistry in the three films they did. Sad to say Edna May did not want to continue the series. She and Gleason would have been a great weekly series in the age of television.Murder On A Honeymoon may have been the best of the three films because based on the other two, I thought I had the perpetrator all picked out. But I was completely wrong and I think other viewers will fall in the same trap. Two other murders occur before Gleason and Oliver finally figure it out. By the way the clue here is in how the crime was committed. And a big red herring is also served up for the audience to convince you of the perpetrator's apparent innocence.Even on vacation it seems as though Edna May's Hildegarde Withers can't get away from murder.

Edna May Oliver returns as the indomitable schoolteacher/sleuth Hildegarde Withers. Even while on vacation in California she has no trouble in finding murders to solve.Miss Edna May is again quite wonderful to watch. This was her third & final outing as Withers - she would soon be leaving RKO for MGM and other memorable roles there. James Gleason is back as her New York City detective boyfriend. Comic relief is provided by Willie Best.The movie is enhanced considerably by location filming at Avalon, on Santa Catalina Island. The huge Casino, which dominates the Avalon waterfront, provides a spooky scene or two.