A Slight Case of Murder

Released Feb 26, 1938

1h 25m

Comedy

List

67%

Tomatometer

6 Reviews

77%

Audience Score

250+ Ratings

With the end of Prohibition, hapless bootlegger Remy Marco (Edward G. Robinson) has decided to call it quits and become a law-abiding citizen. Years later, as his legitimate beer business and his marriage are simultaneously crumbling, he discovers four dead mobsters in his upstate New York home. Unfortunately that's the least of his troubles -- which include a rattail-wearing orphan that his wife (Jane Bryan) has taken in, and his daughter's boyfriend, who is a cop.

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Otis Ferguson

The New Republic

There has been an idea going around that A Slight Case of Murder is a comedy (which it may be if comedy means a story of farce complexion with laughs coming at you from way down the track like a freight in a nightmare).

Dec 26, 2023

Full Review

John Kinloch

California Eagle

The whole affair, which easily might have been rather gruesome, is gotten off with just the right light-comedy air.

Oct 30, 2019

Full Review

Ann Ross

Maclean's Magazine

Author [Damon] Runyon is at his best in A Slight Case of Murder.

Aug 5, 2019

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Outdated mildly amusing black comedy that spoofs the gangster film.

Rated: C+

Sep 16, 2008

Full Review

Christopher Null

Filmcritic.com

Rated: 4/5

Oct 28, 2006

Full Review

John J. Puccio

Movie Metropolis

It works as a parody of old gangster movies; it works as a screwball comedy of the era; and it remains as funny today as when it was made.

Rated: 7/10

Jul 5, 2006

Full Review

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David K

Great crew of the Warner's team - Ruth Donnelly, Allen Jenkins, Edward Brophy et. al. - complementing the great Edward G. Robinson in a comedic spin on his gangster roles. Not the side-splitting humor it's made out to be, but very funny still. Definitely worth the 1.5 hours to watch it and feel a little better in a way that only a good comedy can pick you up!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/07/23

Full Review

Russ

Edward G. Robinson, Ed Brophy, and them other mugs in a send up of the 30's cops'n'robbers shoot-em-up. A quite entertaining 85 minutes.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

One of the best comedies I have ever seen. There isn't a lame line in the entire show. Of course Edward G Robinson was the perfect misunderstood (and not too bright) villain. Ruth Donnelly as Marco's wife was a scream. And the cast of misfit mob sidekicks was perfect. So glad I didn't miss this gem.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

Full Review

jim b

Hoo boy. I almost hate to write a negative review about an Edward G. Robinson movie, but then again I had to sit through this lame attempt at comedy, and it STUNK. It felt much longer than it was - except early on, where the change from Robinson's other movies, dramatic ones, or gangster ones, is for a while a bit amusing. A brief talk by his character, to some students in a classroom, run by Margaret Hamilton, is the one fairly funny part in this for me. He plays a former bootlegger named Marko who always refers to himself in third person (of course), and makes the worst-tasting beer in the world, and there's a murder by someone else early on leaving four corpses in his home (later used for "hilarity"'s purposes) and also a bank foreclosing and... really nothing to laugh at here. This is my 15th movie of Robinson's I've seen, and by far the worst. To see him in his best, see Scarlet Street. The Stranger is also superb. In fact, most of the movies I've seen him in have been. The Sea Wolf. Our Vines Have Tender Grapes. There's so many. I've seen one ruined by a bad, studio-enforced ending, but that's about it. If you want to see a different and humorous Edward G. Robinson movie, maybe try Brother Orchid before this; this is just a poor, post-prohibition attempt at slapstick comedy, and it falls flat, completely.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

ashley h

A Slight Case of Murder is a decent film. It is about a former bootlegger Remy Marco who has a slight problem with forclosing bankers, a prospective son-in-law, and four hard-to-explain corpses. Edward G. Robinson and Jane Bryan give okay performances. The screenplay is a little slow in places. Lloyd Bacon did an alright job directing this movie. I liked this motion picture because of the humor.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Frances H

Cute and very Runyanesque, with Edward G. doing what he does best--his gangster character.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/15/20

Full Review

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Lloyd Bacon

Director

Edward G. Robinson

Remy Marco

Jane Bryan

Mary Marco

Allen Jenkins

Mike

Willard Parker

Dick Whitewood

Ruth Donnelly

Nora Marco

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Synopsis

With the end of Prohibition, hapless bootlegger Remy Marco (Edward G. Robinson) has decided to call it quits and become a law-abiding citizen. Years later, as his legitimate beer business and his marriage are simultaneously crumbling, he discovers four dead mobsters in his upstate New York home. Unfortunately that's the least of his troubles -- which include a rattail-wearing orphan that his wife (Jane Bryan) has taken in, and his daughter's boyfriend, who is a cop.

Director: Lloyd Bacon
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 26, 1938, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 1, 2014
Runtime: 1h 25m

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