Now here's a fun thriller with something for everyone. Adolphe Menjou plays the alpha male, a DA on vacation who is engulfed in the intrigue of a circus and gets to order everyone around and appear invulnerable. With a name like Colt what else could one expect. His assistant played by Ruthelma Stevens is sharp as a tack and every bit as resourceful. A real take charge lady unafraid to take chances. Then there's Harry Holman and his fat man act, wiping his brow and nervous as a cat in a roomful of rocking chairs, as the circus' publicity agent. Dwight Frye is perfect as the spurned lover with another great performance two years after his Renfield in Dracula. And last but not least we have the pretty people, handsome Donald Cook and the delectable Greta Nissen, the acrobats and pivot of the film. Stock characters one might say but in this film they add up to a fun thriller. And let's not forget a hint of horror with the suggestion a disappeared body may have been eaten by lions or cannibals. How gruesome! It's snappy, it moves right along, and it'll keep you watching even though you might have guessed the outcome. My only criticism has to do with the utter disregard for the fate of the circus queen who is about to be murdered and the total lack of sensitivity toward the victim. That part was handled very poorly and in fact the movie would have been much better had the murder been prevented as it appeared it could have been. It would have led to some very dramatic action and a much better resolution.
Review of The Circus Queen Murder
