ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Robert Joyner The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Brendon Jones It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Juana what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

gridoon2018 In "Murder On A Bridle Path", the fourth entry in the Hildegarde Withers series, Helen Broderick replaces Edna May Oliver as the snoopy and smart schoolteacher-turned-amateur-sleuth, and although she is cuter than her predecessor, she is no match for her comedy-wise; or maybe Oliver was just so distinctive in the role that it's hard to accept anyone else in it. James Gleason does his usual solid work as the befuddled Oscar Piper, but most of the rest of the supporting cast is bland. The story begins well, but soon bogs down; to be honest, I was looking forward to the "terrific finale" that Leonard Maltin promises in his otherwise damning capsule review, but it wasn't there, IMO. Watch this one only if you must watch every film in the series. ** out of 4.

csteidler "It would be you," Inspector Piper nods the moment he turns and sees Hildegarde Withers arriving on the scene. "It's gotten so, Hildegarde, a person can't be killed within the city limits without your showing up." This is, indeed, the fourth murder case on which Miss Withers assists, critiques, leads, follows, and just generally offers suggestions to her crusty detective friend. James Gleason's Oscar Piper is once again easily chagrined but grudgingly respectful of Miss Withers' detecting skills; Helen Broderick takes on the role of school teacher and amateur sleuth Hildegarde Withers for the first and only time. This Withers is a bit less tart and somewhat more conscious of her own wittiness than the earlier Withers (as portrayed by Edna May Oliver). Broderick and Gleason quickly establish a rapport and relationship that—as in the earlier films in the series—is easily our primary reason for watching.The plot involves the death of society girl Violet Feveral, played (albeit briefly) with delicious nastiness by Sheila Terry. Suspects abound—this Violet was, in the best whodunit tradition, wildly unpopular and had handed out insults and injuries to numerous other characters in the hours and days before her death. The familiar faces in the lineup of suspects include Louise Latimer as a sister to the victim; John Carroll as a family employee; and Leslie Fenton, who is quite good as the nervous ex-husband who has just been mysteriously released from jail. Willie Best stands out in his usual thankless role as a stable boy who may have a clue or two; his deadpan delivery when answering questions (What was he doing in jail? "Shooting craps." No, what was he in jail for? "Shooting craps.") squeezes the maximum out of a role that's otherwise a lame stereotype.The mystery itself is not particularly inventive or suspenseful; however, the story moves along briskly and the actors and script are competent if not brilliant. The interaction between Gleason and Broderick is clearly presented as the center of the picture—and that relationship between a couple of pros is a lot of fun to watch. (One example: Oscar suggests that the murder was a "crime of passion," to which Hildegarde snaps, "Oscar, don't you think we'd better try to keep this case clean?") Bonus: we are instructed what can be learned about a person from examining his pipe!

sol ***SPOILERS*** It's when Violet Feverel, Sheila Terry, is found trampled to death on Central Park's Bridle Path it's assumed by the police headed by the cigar chewing Inspector Piper, James Gleason, that it all was a tragic accident. Violet had taken a horse out for a morning ride and lost control of the animal with her ending up getting killed by it. It's when school teacher and part-time sleuth Hildergard Winters, Helen Broderick, shows up at the scene that the open and shut case was reopened in that Violet's death wasn't accidental but cold blooded murder.Inspector Piper with Hildegard's help uncovers a number of people who had it in for Violet and may well have gone so far as murdering her. There's Violet's estranged husband Don Gregg, Leslie Fenton, who was released from prison just a day before her death and is considered the #1 suspect in Violet's murder. There's also Violet's sister Barbara, Louise Latimer, and fiancée Eddie Fry, Owen Davis Jr, who never got along with her and can't seem to come up with an alibi in where they were at the time of her death.It's later when Don Gregg's old man Pat Gregg, John Milter, is almost found dead at the Gregg Mansion in Elmont Long Island the attention turns to his already suspected of murder son Don who's now suspected by Inspector Piper in trying to murder him and make it look like an accident! Like he's suspected of doing to his wife Violet! It's when old man Gregg is found dead in his study watching the races, with a telescope, at the Belmont Park racetrack from his third floor window that Hildegard suspect his death was not a heart attack but murder. And the murderer was someone very close to Pat Gregg who wanted him out of the way not for monetary but for very very personal reasons!***SPOILERS*** It's then that all he loose ends in this very confusing murder case all tie together and it all had to do with a horse race that the killer, by having the money he was to bet on it, was kept from betting on! A bit talky but still very entertaining murder mystery with actress Helen Broderick as armature sleuth Hildegard Withers having a hard time keeping a straight face in her scenes with stable-boy High Pockets, Willie Best, who with his laid back and Stephen Fetchet style of talking has her desperately trying to keep from cracking up in every scene she's in with him. The award for ham acting honors in the movie has to go to the murderer himself! The exposed, by Hildegard, murdered gets so caught up with his big scene in the film in his explaining why he did it, murdered Violet & old man Gregg, that he loses his footing and breaks through a second floor railing in the Gregg Mansion and falls to his death!

tedg This series started out as one of the many experiments in building a detective narrative (where we share the unrolling of the narrative with a character) based on specific personality types. The original idea was to harden the Miss Marple type and recast her as brusque matron with a mischievous bent. And the detective would be a snappy, skinny hardnosed type who ends up a softy with this schoolmarm. In the first episode, they actually run off to get married, a situation forgotten later.But all these experiments ran out of gas, even the "Thin Man" thread. By this edition, we have a whole different set of goals, and of course a different Hildegard. This woman isn't old, imperious, thickbottomed and selfish. She's a much hipper soul and in any case she doesn't have the focus any more.And despite there being a younger sister cast for her figure, this is all about the men. And the characters we (as guys) create. Its nothing more than that, and as big as that. (The plot revolves around an exhusband thrown in "alimony jail" because of slow payments.)Gleason is at his most extreme, strutting with a smile. Its a smile of an actor winking at the audience, something that was passed through (in my small experience) Red Skelton, Burt Reynolds, Bruce Willis.But the extraordinary thing — and this may not be readable to some — is that it is all done by acting with hats. Its an amazing experience. These are theatrical hats, a bit over-sized. All the important facial expressions have a hat equivalent or compliment. One of the men actors is a black man playing a specific character type, a dim, stepinfetchit "boy" named Highpockets. In life, it reflects as a stereotype and is harmful because no one can deny racism. But as a character its fantastic and comes less from society directly than a long and honorable stage minstrel tradition, Watch his hat.There are other "stereotypes," a dumb Irishman, a stilted German... but none as gracefully presented.If the world were all hats, there would be no problems, no war, except maybe alimony.Its set in Central Park, though not actually shot there. Too bad.Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.