Rainey Dawn This is not one of the best mystery films from the 1930s - but it's not the worst. The film is kinda cute and kinda fun but nothing special - it's a run-of-the-mill, typical 1930s comedy-crime mystery (it's not tagged a comedy there is quite a bit of comedy in this film - in particular the shower scene).Basically a murder was caught on film by one of the news photographers the question is: is it one of the photographers or one of the women in the room? Meg Archer being the prime suspect.It's one of those okay afternoon type of films when nothing else is on or if you are just wanting something a little different to watch - but the film is nothing brag about.5/10

bkoganbing Murder With Pictures finds Lew Ayres and Paul Kelly as a pair of breezy reporters who are tracking the same story, namely the acquittal of murder by gangster Onslow Stevens. It seems as though a key witness Gail Patrick is located and arrives too late to testify. Stevens is giving a bash and he invites the press to the party.Where his high priced defense attorney Ernest Cossart is shot to death after apparently recognizing someone in the room. Suspicion falls on Patrick, but Ayres shields her and starts his own investigation with Kelly dogging his every move. A couple of murders later and it's all solved.Ayres gives a nice account of himself in a film which if done at Warner Brothers would have starred James Cagney with Kelly in the Pat O'Brien part. The how is not terribly original, this particular murder gambit was used before and after still it is done with style. As for the motives, Murder With Pictures is a story of greed and revenge.One cliché seems to be present a lot in these kind of films. The cops are always wrong and the hero always sorts it out. I've seen it in God knows how many films, but in real life I've seen it to be true. Not that the police are dumb, but what people have a problem being is flexible. More than cops will get wedded to a certain notion and then just won't change no matter how the facts are explained to them. In solving cases that's a natural barrier. In my former job with New York State Crime Victims Board I've seen it happen more than once.It was also nice to see Gail Patrick for once not playing the second lead or the other woman. Murder With Pictures is a nice, fast moving and entertaining film and it's a pity it seems to have dropped into obscurity. The fact that it also has dropped into the public domain may gain it new viewers and fans who've not seen it as of yet.

dbborroughs This begins when a gangster is acquitted for murder. As the reporters struggle to get pictures, a man named Murdoch gets one and is introduced to a mysterious young lady. Later at a party for the acquittal, where the press was invited, a murder occurs and sets in motion a chase to find out who done it. There are twists and complications and lots of silliness-in particular the result of a bubble dancer "engaged" to our hero.Confusing to start but neat once it gets going making it a nifty little mystery. To be certain you'll never figure out the details, there is a big exposition scene where it's all explained, but other wise its great film.Once it gets going this is a super little nights enjoyment.... especially if the you can pair it with another really good film

Snow Leopard Lew Ayres and Gail Patrick both give good performances, and the two of them plus a fast-paced story make this an enjoyable B-feature. The crime/mystery story is often implausible, but it provides some interesting developments and it creates some good action.Ayres and Patrick were both pretty talented performers, and their roles offer each of them some good material. Ayres plays an easygoing news photographer who gets involved in a murder case, in which Patrick's strong-minded character plays an uncertain role. It's good to see Patrick get a more prominent role than usual, even in a low-budget feature, and her elegance fits in well.The story uses a number of offbeat details to keep things moving, and this helps to hold your interest in the story as well as in masking some of the low production values. This is not bad at all for a movie of its kind, and it provides an hour or so of good light entertainment.