Queen of Crime (1938) User Reviews

Good Edgar Wallace adaption is more "romantic mystery" than straight mystery with a bit of suspense getting lost in the verbal sparring of the leads

[dbborroughs · 7/10 · 20 January 2008]

Inspector Pemberton is called to a Lord's house in order to investigate a missing cigarette case. There he meets the Lord's secretary named Kate who the Lord's daughter thinks stole the case. Smitten, Pemberton ponders how he can meet her again, only to find out that she is actually Kate Westhanger, the leader of a band of thieves. Going around to her hide out Pemeberton attempts to "woo" the girl and get her to go straight, however when that fails he challenges her to a contest, promising to prevent whatever the job is she is working on. Thus begins a game of cat and mouse as Pemberton and Kate crack wise while trying very hard to win their bet.

A typical Edgar Wallace based film in that its actually a romantic comedy/mystery more than a straight mystery. The repartee between the leads is very good and often on par with the best American films and had anyone had the inclination this might have turned into a neat little British Thin Man series.

To be honest he mystery itself is much too complicated for a 75 minute movie (the print I saw was a bit choppy in spots and is clearly missing a few minutes). Certainly there are simply too many characters with most of Kate's ten man gang fading into the background. The result of too much plot and too many characters is that the film as a whole bogs down at times. The film is never bad, it just doesn't remain at the same level as the romantic rivalry.

Flaws aside this is a really good film. Its the perfect thing to be part of a rainy night on the couch watching movies. (It would actually make a nice double feature with the Gaunt Stranger another Wallace adaptation) 7 out of 10 over all. better in spots

Fun Jack Hulbert movie

[Paularoc · 7/10 · 19 April 2012]

This mystery/comedy is thoroughly engaging with breezy banter between Inspector Pemberton (Hulbert) and crime boss Kate Westhanger (Tobin) that is delightful. Of course, the notion that Tobin is a big time crime boss is absolutely absurd. Hey, it's a fun movie so who cares? The first Jack Hulbert movie I saw was "Bulldog Jack" at a film festival many years ago and I thought he was great and this movie, while not as good as Bulldog Jack, nonetheless is still a nice showcase for Hulbert. It was a treat seeing so many familiar faces such as Withers, Aylmer, Sullivan, Genn but especially Wontner who some critics assert was best ever portrayer of Sherlock Holmes on film (endless arguments about this are really fun but also pointless). As a previous reviewer pointed out, the plot is a bit complicated and there are too many crooks to keep track of, but there is sufficient action (the train sequences are quite good) and the dialog snappy enough to keep the movie moving at a good pace.

He Won't Dance, But No One Asks Him

[boblipton · 7/10 · 17 November 2017]

Jack Hulbert is a police Inspector and he's in pursuit of Genevieve Tobin: first, because she's beautiful and charming and he's quite naturally smitten and second, because she and her gang have got a big job on and it's his job.

Jack doesn't dance in this one, and there's not much in the way of farce in this, except for the usual late 1930s wise-cracking, but there is a good script based on one of Edgar Wallace's thrillers, and the two leads are very charming. Miss Tobin's absence from the ranks of top stars remains a mystery to me, but perhaps it's simply that she never got that big break and she was beginning to push forty. Still, it's a pair of good performances, and the plan is a good one, with the only way Hulbert has to track anything the occasional cracks left by Miss Tobin's henchmen who try to "improve" her plans. The result is a fine shared star vehicle for the two.

Tobin is Terrific!!

[kidboots · 7/10 · 7 November 2019]

Not exactly Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre and not really how I remember the book but obviously designed to fit the bubbling personality of Genevieve Tobin. As Kate she has just left her job in rather a hurry - her employer's daughter (a very young and exuberant Googie Withers) has misplaced a cigarette case, accusations are being thrown around and the police have been called in. You see, Kate Westhanger is the notorious head of a criminal gang - but thanks to the intrepid Scotland Yard Inspector Pemberton (Jack Hulbert) , Kate is saved to plot another day!!

Genevieve is terrific, her sparkling wit is given free reign and she is given a rare star billing - Hulbert and she have great rapport but Tobin would put anyone at their ease. Kate is running her gang like clockwork but there is rupture in the ranks - Gregori (Noel Madison) is planning his own little bank job and he has a few of her gang onside!! It is a stretch believing in Genevieve as the master mind of a gang of surly thugs - when she says "I've planned everything down to the last detail and have I ever steered you wrong before" you almost expect her to pout and stamp her foot!!

Delightful scene - first time I've ever seen a milk bar in a movie and what a milk bar!! It may have been an American invention but the Brits took it to a whole new level!!

Also Noel Madison who originally was from the stage where he had diverse parts, in movies he was usually a "dese, dems and does" wise guy - in "Kate" he was a bad guy but with a very passable British accent as Tobin had also. Another gang member, this one on Kate's side was Arthur Wontner who made a very good Sherlock Holmes in a series from the early to the late 1930s. Francis L. Sullivan definitely playing against type as Lord Flamborough, the rattled father of socialite Googie Withers who luckily didn't have a huge part in the movie as she was a dead ringer for Genevieve!!

Recommended!!

At least they know whom they are up against.

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 22 January 2017]

He can't arrest her because he has no evidence. She knows he knows what she's up to, so she has to stay one step ahead of him. It's a clever game of cat and mouse where each gets their chance to be both. Jack Hulbert has that toothy grin that makes us Americans laugh at British stereotypes, but if only we had half of their way of thinking. Even the most common of British accents to us comes off to us as deliciously eccentric, and yet to them, it just reveals where whoever they are talking to came from. British films, too, seemed to have an advancement that American films of the time (as delightful as they are) all seemed to be the same song with different twists in the music to make it slightly different.

As this is a film about Scotland Yard, American audiences should know a bit of history to be able to follow the plot and style of the characters. Genevieve Tobin, a star of pre-code romantic comedies, is the heroine here, out to outwit Hulbert whom she can't help be charmed by. Arthur Wontner, Francis L. Sullivan, Google Withers and Felix Aylmer are among the cast of British actors I instantly recognized. There's plenty of intrigue, comedy, romance and amusing twists and turns that keeps the film moving. As I've noticed about other British films of this period, they often seem a decade ahead of American films technologically, often seeming more ahead in their time.

All The Usual Wallace Ingredients

[malcolmgsw · 5/10 · 9 April 2011]

This contains all the usual ingredients of an Edgar Wallace film.A gang led by an out of the usual gang leader who commit crimes that baffle the police.The film ending up in a frantic chase using an unusual form of transport.The leading roles are played by Jack Hulbert and Genevive Tobin.Hulbert is slightly more restrained in his mugging than in most of his films.Tobin is a scarcely believable gang leader.Unfortunately it seems to be the case that the only way that English film makers were going to get their films shown in the States was if one of the leads was American.now where that could be a bonus with Edward G Robinson or Marlene Dietrich in a leading part it is very much a detriment when a lesser actress is involved.This film was made as an independent production for General film distributors at a very low ebb in the British film industrys fortunes.Hulbert doesn't even mention this book in his biography.

Kate minus ten

[AAdaSC · 3/10 · 24 June 2023]

Genevieve Tobin (Kate) leads a band of criminals. Theft is her speciality and she masterminds the plans. Inspector Jack Hulbert (Mike) knows he needs to stop her but he is in love with her, relentlessly pursuing her for a date as well as trying to catch her breaking the law. He is very creepy but the dialogue between them can be funny at times. Warning - this film does contain occasional British buffoonery - never an entertaining option.

Unfortunately, the film gets pretty boring and is only entertaining when Tobin is on screen. All the points in this film go to her. The film also has Noel Madison (Gregori) as one of the gang, who stands up to Tobin. He so looks like the leader of the Ant Hill Mob in the Wacky Races - perhaps it is the same person. As for Hulbert, wow, what a face! Is that really one of the UK's leading men - ha ha? It's a combination of Fred Astaire and Bruce Forsyth and I half expected him to churn out a catchphrase "all right, my luv....?"

Romantic Crime Comedy About A Bullion Heist

[zardoz-13 · 8/10 · 28 March 2020]

The repartee between infatuated Inspector Mike Pemberton (Jack Hulbert) and crime queen Kate Westhanger (Genevieve Tobin) highlights this sophisticated crime comedy about a Scotland Yard detective's effort to romance a no-nonsense woman. From the moment that Pemberton is summoned to Lord Flamborough's mansion to solve the mysterious disappearance of a cigarette case, he is head over heels for cute little Kate and her impervious manner toward him. Kate is the mastermind of a varied gang of criminals, one of whom thinks that he is a notch above her in intelligence. A thrilling train robbery during the last quarter hour compensates for the loquacious dialogue. Jack Hulbert is quite a sight with his magnificent ugly face, but he gives a sterling performance as the sleuth who has an eye for the leading lady. This merry little crime thriller bristles with lots of amusing scenes and the miniature work is pretty good.