A hypnotist barges into police Captain Tim Riley’s (Robert Elliott) office to confess a murder. Dr. Emil Brant (Jean Hersholt) tells a tale of manipulation and fraud resulting in the death of a man. The catch? The murder has yet to occur. Dr. Brant, using his renowned skill in hypnotism, has convinced a patient to steal $10,000 dollars from the bank at which he works and to deliver it to the doctor at his next appointment. Lt. Martin (David Landau) is present for the confession and along with Cpt. Riley agrees to help Dr. Brandt not commit the crime.
Reporter Dan McKee (Stuart Erwin) tails the ranking officers to Dr. Brandt’s home, smelling a story brewing. He keeps an eye on people around the home as the officers enter with the doctor. Eventually, no longer contemplating the crime, Dr. Brandt excuses both officers and meets with his patient to undo the damage already done.
During the session, however, Dr. Brandt is knocked unconscious and his patient is found dead. Suspicion falls upon both Dr. Brandt and his wife, Freda (Wynne Gibson), though the third party involved remains unknown. The plot thickens several more times as Dan McKee tries to wrap up this case before the cops.
This classic whodunit is well worth a watch. The mystery is very mysterious and unfolds well. There are many who could have been the killer, but in the end only one is guilty. The reporter-turned-vigilante aspect McKee brings is especially fun. Unlike some mysteries, none of the evidence is concealed from the viewer. Unusual even for the time, there is even a short intermission in which an external narrator invites the audience to try and solve the crime with the evidence provided. The performances of Hersholt, Gibson, and Erwin stand out, though the other characters portrayed are very believable and entertaining.
Robert Elliott is the one exception to this rule, bringing perhaps the driest portrayal of a police captain I’ve ever seen to the film. His monotone delivery and rigid acting make some tense and dramatic moments fall flat. Besides this one complaint, there’s not much wrong with The Crime of the Century. The story is both fun and tense. It is believable in its scope and the actions of the characters. The humor in the film holds up after these 89 years as well. For these reasons, The Crime of the Century is highly recommended for classic film collections and mystery library shelves.