blanche-2 I'm not overly familiar with the Hildegarde Withers mysteries, having only seen one other. In this one, "Murder on a Bridal Path," Miss Withers is played by Helen Broderick. Apparently there were three Withers: Edna May Oliver, Broderick, and Zasu Pitts. James Gleason remains as Oscar, the police detective who acts like he doesn't need or want Withers' help but she always steers him down the right path.When the body of Violet Feverel is discovered on the Central Park bridle path, it looks as if she was thrown from her horse. Hildegarde is walking her dog and, having found the horse, sees that he has blood on him. It's ultimately found to be murder.Nobody like this woman, particularly her ex-husband Don whom she's thrown in jail for back alimony. And he was released by a forged court order. Also, the manager of her stables fought with her that morning. And then there's Eddie Fry who is seeing Violet's sister to the disapproval of Violet.Oscar and Hildegarde head out to Don's home on Long Island. There they meet the cast of a horror film: the sick father, Patrick, the caretaker Chris, and his crippled son Joey.When Don's father is murdered, it brings Hildegarde closer to figuring out the identity of the killer.Mildly entertaining - even though it's short, it seems longer. It's very dark-looking, with the Long Island house looking like Bleak House. I liked Helen Broderick. She has a fun way with dialogue and nice chemistry with Gleason, though Oliver's was better.I think the Penguin Pool Murder was better. This is okay.

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.

Michael_Elliott Murder on a Bridle Path (1936) ** (out of 4) The fourth film in RKO's Hildegarde Withers series was the first after Edna May Oliver stepped away from the part and was replaced by Helen Broderick for the first and only time. In the film a society woman is out riding her horse when she's thrown from it and then murdered. Detective Piper (James Gleason) thinks it's a simple case of her being killed by the fall but Withers comes across the scene and notices that the woman was murdered after the fall. The two team up to track down the usual suspects. MURDER ON A BRIDLE PATH isn't as bad as its reputation but at the same time there's no question that it's a major fall from the previous three movies. There's no doubt that Broderick isn't nearly as good as Edna May Oliver but she isn't too bad here. I thought she was decent for what was being asked as she has no problem playing the smart woman and she at least makes us believe she's a lot smarter than Piper for what that's worth. As usual Gleason is very good in his part as the rather slow Detective who is always one step behind the lady. While both actors do a fine job, the same can't be said with their comic timing and chemistry. I think what really hurts the movie is the fact that the two don't share the same spark as in the previous three films. The screenplay isn't the greatest thing either because there's never any clear case of who the killer is and when he's revealed it really seems like a stretch. As is the case in most weaker written mysteries, the police and Withers would have never found out had the killer not given himself away and of course breaking to the point where he tells everything. In the end this film is pretty much on par with the majority of "B" mysteries that were released throughout the decade but at the same time it also makes you appreciate the first three films for how special they were.

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.