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IMDbPro

The Plot Thickens

  • 19361936
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 9m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
363
YOUR RATING
James Gleason and Zasu Pitts in The Plot Thickens (1936)
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Mystery
A priceless Cellini silver cup is stolen from a local museum with both Hildegarde and Oscar on the case.A priceless Cellini silver cup is stolen from a local museum with both Hildegarde and Oscar on the case.A priceless Cellini silver cup is stolen from a local museum with both Hildegarde and Oscar on the case.
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
363
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Ben Holmes
  • Writers
    • Clarence Upson Young(screenplay)
    • Jack Townley(screenplay)
    • Stuart Palmer(from a story by)
  • Stars
    • James Gleason
    • Zasu Pitts
    • Owen Davis Jr.
Top credits
  • Director
    • Ben Holmes
  • Writers
    • Clarence Upson Young(screenplay)
    • Jack Townley(screenplay)
    • Stuart Palmer(from a story by)
  • Stars
    • James Gleason
    • Zasu Pitts
    • Owen Davis Jr.
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 11User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos14

    Owen Davis Jr. and Louise Latimer in The Plot Thickens (1936)
    The Plot Thickens (1936)
    Zasu Pitts in The Plot Thickens (1936)
    Zasu Pitts in The Plot Thickens (1936)
    James Gleason, Louise Latimer, and Zasu Pitts in The Plot Thickens (1936)
    James Gleason and Zasu Pitts in The Plot Thickens (1936)
    James Gleason, Zasu Pitts, and Bodil Rosing in The Plot Thickens (1936)
    Arthur Aylesworth, James Gleason, and Zasu Pitts in The Plot Thickens (1936)
    James Gleason and Zasu Pitts in The Plot Thickens (1936)
    James Gleason and Zasu Pitts in The Plot Thickens (1936)
    James Gleason and Zasu Pitts in The Plot Thickens (1936)
    James Gleason and Zasu Pitts in The Plot Thickens (1936)

    Top cast

    Edit
    James Gleason
    James Gleason
    • Oscar Piper
    Zasu Pitts
    Zasu Pitts
    • Hildegarde Withers
    Owen Davis Jr.
    Owen Davis Jr.
    • Robert Wilkins
    Louise Latimer
    Louise Latimer
    • Alice Stevens
    Arthur Aylesworth
    Arthur Aylesworth
    • Kendall
    Paul Fix
    Paul Fix
    • Joe
    Richard Tucker
    Richard Tucker
    • John Carter
    Barbara Barondess
    Barbara Barondess
    • Marie
    James Donlan
    • Jim
    Agnes Anderson
    Agnes Anderson
    • Dagmar
    Oscar Apfel
    Oscar Apfel
    • H. G. Robbins
    Alyce Ardell
    Alyce Ardell
    • Josephine, Hildegarde's Maid
    • (uncredited)
    John T. Bambury
    • Midget
    • (uncredited)
    Billy Dooley
    Billy Dooley
    • Gas Station Attendant
    • (uncredited)
    Frank Fanning
    Frank Fanning
    • Detective Fanning
    • (uncredited)
    Mary Gordon
    Mary Gordon
    • Woman with Bag
    • (uncredited)
    Reed Howes
    Reed Howes
    • Museum Guard in Egyptian Room
    • (uncredited)
    John Indrisano
    John Indrisano
    • Man in Line for Inspection
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Ben Holmes
    • Writers
      • Clarence Upson Young(screenplay)
      • Jack Townley(screenplay)
      • Stuart Palmer(from a story by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Pitts replaced scheduled star because of illness.
    • Goofs
      The Italian couple that Officer Cassidy talks to near the beginning of the movie say "good night" to him in Spanish.
    • Quotes

      Oscar Piper: [Parodying the witnesses reactions out of frustration] "I don't know," "You don't know," It's funny. Nobody seems to know nothing! around here!

      Hildegarde Withers: Hah! I wouldn't broadcast that if I were you, Oscar.

    • Connections
      Followed by Forty Naughty Girls (1937)
    • Soundtracks
      Pretty Baby
      Music by Egbert Van Alstyne and Tony Jackson

      Lyrics by Gus Kahn

      Played by the organ grinder in the park

    User reviews11

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Zasu is good as Hildegarde
    Zasu Pitts holds her own in this entry to the Stuart Palmer mystery series that spawned a movie entry. Hildegarde Winters and Oscar Piper solved murder mysteries in RKO's B movie cannon. Younger than Helen Broadrick and prettier than Edna May Olvier Zasu's Hildegarde seems to have a more social relationship with James Gleason's Oscar Piper. In this movie she has a golf date with Oscar. And in the movie 40 Naughty Girls they are attending a musical when murder rears its ugly head. Regardless of the different actress the movies as whole are very enjoyable. I hope to see them on DVD like Nancy Drew or Mike Shayne. The movies always had interesting locations that are no longer with us. From the New York Aquarium in The Penguin Pool Murders to the public school building in Murder on a Blackboard and out to sea on Catalina Island for Murder on a Honeymoon. A viewer gets a glimpse of history and living, of life and entertainment from a bygone era in Hollywood a viewer is given a look at life and living in a bygone age. p.s. I love to see old time telegram pages splashed on the screen. A Post Script: it is now 2014 and I have The Hildegarde / Oscar Movie set from WARNER ARCHIVES. I now firmly attest Zasu Pitts is the more comfortable 'Miss Withers for me. She sheds the spinster cast transforming the character into a crimebuster (with official police credentials)and masters the'Colombo' guise of detective misdirection by her mannerisms and appearance. She exhibits skills (using a hair pin to unlock handcuffs). Her mannerism of not seeming to pay attention makes suspects underestimate her very keen analytical mind. Miss Pitts also brought more emotion to the role. She shows enthusiasm for the thrill of solving a case.
    helpful•12
    2
    • shazam1950
    • Oct 3, 2007

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 11, 1936 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Riddle of the Dangling Pearl
    • Filming locations
      • RKO Studios - 780 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • RKO Radio Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 9 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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