Columbia might have done a whole series of films based om Rex Stout's portly
and agoraphobic detective/ Nero Wolfe was a natural for star Edward Arnold
who put quite a bit more humor into the part than you would see in the books.
But Wolfe purists would have taken exception to making Archie Goodwin such a dunce fit only for comic relief. Lionel Stander has the part in two Wolfe films and he's the butt of all wisecracks as Arnold belabors him for not being as bright as him. Girl friend Dennie Moore wants Stander to quit and I can't really blame her.
The up and coming Rita Hayworth is the Wolfe client, she's come about the death of her brother. As it turns out the brother was killed in the same manner as a college president with a rare snake venom from South /America.
This could have been a career role as Nick Charles was for William Powell. A nice assortment of suspects are around when the murderer trips himself up.
The film is all right and it's curiosity piece today.
But Wolfe purists would have taken exception to making Archie Goodwin such a dunce fit only for comic relief. Lionel Stander has the part in two Wolfe films and he's the butt of all wisecracks as Arnold belabors him for not being as bright as him. Girl friend Dennie Moore wants Stander to quit and I can't really blame her.
The up and coming Rita Hayworth is the Wolfe client, she's come about the death of her brother. As it turns out the brother was killed in the same manner as a college president with a rare snake venom from South /America.
This could have been a career role as Nick Charles was for William Powell. A nice assortment of suspects are around when the murderer trips himself up.
The film is all right and it's curiosity piece today.