Incannerax What a waste of my time!!!

KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Leoni Haney Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

Francene Odetta It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

csteidler It's opera night at the Hollywood Bowl and tenor Gino D'Acosta (Leo Carillo) has everyone mad at him: his understudy, the conductor, two women he's been leading on, an aspiring composer upset because Gino won't read his opera….It seems only a matter of time before somebody knocks Gino off. A fortune teller has already told him: "If you sing tomorrow night, you will die." The story's not real unique but it's performed with panache by a solid and colorful cast. Chester Morris is a fast talking police detective who strikes up a romance with cute scientist Madge Evans. Grant Mitchell is earnest as the tenor's doctor friend. Frank McHugh has some good moments as the singer's secretary who keeps belting out bits of opera, much to the annoyance of maestro H.B. Warner.The setup of various characters' motives is rather involved and there is a fair amount of music, as well, so the story itself moves somewhat deliberately. The complicated plot eventually arrives at a surprising (and unlikely) resolution.It's certainly not the best B mystery ever made, but MGM's production values, the somewhat unusual setting, and a fun cast make it very watchable.

blanche-2 "Moonlight Murder," from 1936, is an operatic mystery. A tenor,Gino (Leo Carrillo), singing Manrico in "Il Trovatore" at the Hollywood Bowl is told by a fortune teller (Pedro de Cordoba) not to perform or he will die. Well, you can't keep a tenor from performing that way. But he does die under mysterious circumstances.Chester Morris plays the detective brought in to investigate. It's a pretty good mystery, and the detective soon learns there are plenty of suspects, including the Gino's cover, who wants to go on in his place, various women, and an escaped lunatic who is angry that Gino did not sing his opera.Some people complained here that there was too much opera. Frankly I could have used more. Of course I love Trovatore. I actually thought the first aria done by Carrillo (who was dubbed by Alfonso Pedroso) was quite good. Most of the singing was okay despite some screechy high notes.A little baby boomer trivia: For us boomers, Carrillo was Pancho on "The Cisco Kid," and the Cisco Kid was Duncan Renaldo - who is listed in the cast here. As a friend of mine used to say, "foreshadowing." Ah, Pancho; ah, Cisco.

kevin olzak 1936's "Moonlight Murder" may be from MGM, but its 'B' status is assured by starring Chester Morris, whose 'A' status had passed, but his solid pedigree remained for second features such as RKO's "Five Came Back," plus all 14 features in Columbia's 'Boston Blackie' series. Leo Carrillo is cast against type as opera crooner/lothario Gino D'Acosta, who has more than a few interested females, an escaped maniac (J. Carrol Naish) determined to do away with him, and a mysterious swami (Pedro de Cordoba) predicting his imminent demise if he performs his next opera. There's plenty of opera, predating "Charlie Chan at the Opera" by at least five months, and it does tend to slow things to a crawl, particularly after the murder, when we're itching for some mystery relief to take charge. Another commentator took note of the method of murder popping up in a 'Mr. Wong' feature, but there also were two Monogram Charlie Chans, plus Universal's 1939 "The House of Fear" as well. Director Edwin L. Marin never seemed to escape the 'B' tag (even at MGM), his best remembered features including his debut "The Death Kiss," "A Study in Scarlet," "Bombay Mail," "The Crosby Case," "The Casino Murder Case," "The Garden Murder Case," "A Christmas Carol," "Invisible Agent," "Tall in the Saddle," and "Nocturne."

gridoon2018 There haven't been many musical murder mysteries in the history of cinema: "Murder At The Vanities" (1934) is one, "Moonlight Murder" is another. This is a film of average quality for the most part, but it does offer three novelties: the genre mix, the highly original murder method (which I have only ever seen used in one more film, a "Mr.Wong" entry, which however was made a few years later, so "Moonlight Murder" gets extra points for originality), and the unexpectedly tearjerking finale, which, to be honest, did nearly make me cry, thanks to exceptional work by the three actors involved (of course writing their names here would be a spoiler). Also notable is Benita Hume, who shows more cleavage than you might think was "acceptable" in a 1930s post-Code film! **1/2 out of 4.