Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Sadly Over-hyped

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

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.

A good mystery story based on the novel by Stuart Palmer and directed by George Archainbaud. 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. It moves at a good pace with salty dialogue and able acting leading to the final courtroom revelation. 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. Not quite the prim school teacher she appears to be, Oliver gives the character depth and feeling. Supporting her as the police inspector is James Gleason, irascible at first but grows in admiration for Miss Withers. The beautiful Mae Clarke is wasted as the wife of the murder victim. In minor but effective roles are Edgar Kennedy, Rochelle Hudson and Gustav von Seyffertitz. (Great name!)There were six Hildegarde Withers films in the thirties and one TV film in the seventies. Hopefully the other films are as good as this.

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. He soon comes to appreciate her keen sense of observation.Short and lively, this is entertaining, with Oliver and Gleason giving vivid characterizations. I am looking forward to seeing more in this series.

The Penguin Pool Murder is directed by George Archainbaud and collectively written by Stuart Palmer, Lowell Brentano and Willis Goldbeck. It stars Edna May Oliver, James Gleason, Robert Armstrong and Mae Clarke. Music is by Max Steiner and cinematography by Henry W. Gerrard.The first of three outings for Oliver as schoolteacher sleuth Hildegarde Withers, finds her linking up with Inspector Oscar Piper (Gleason) to try and crack the murder of a man found floating in a fish tank at the local aquarium.The three Hildegarde Withers films that starred Oliver and Gleason had one defining characteristic, that of the films being at their best when the two actors were on screen jousting each other. 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. The writing lets the lady Withers be her own person, which is very nice to see, she's not merely a female towing the party line, while her aged years are rightly irrelevant and made a mockery of by Oliver's splendid gusto. Short, sharp and a whole bunch of fun. 7.5/10

It was only 1932 when this was made, just 5 years after talkies were first invented. And, for that era, when films often had creaky scripts that didn't always make a lot of sense, and crime dramas were very formulaic, this film is an exception. A decent script, a clever story, and good direction.The real treat here is watching Edna May Oliver, a gem of a character actress. I've enjoyed her in every feature film in which she appeared as a supporting actress. But here, she's the star. And, what a pip! Her sharp tongue and double-takes here are delightfully funny. 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. It's a clever plot and kept me guessing more than many later mysteries. And, there are even penguins! Well worth a watch!