The first adaptation of the highly popular detective novels.
Nero Wolfe (Edward Arnold), a housebound detective who likes his beer, is employed to investigate a couple of deaths which have been declared natural causes by the authorities. However, Wolfe suspects foul play and sends his assistant Archie (Lionel Stander) to find clues, who is eager to get married to his gal Mazie (Dennie Moore) but the case must be solved first.
The case is complicated however and involves events which took place in the past in South America. Wolfe eventually assembles all the suspects, after an attempted shooting, a gas bomb and even an attack by a deadly snake...
Wolfe is a rather strange detective character, preferring to sit and drink beer rather than do anything else. Despite that the film's complicated plot moves apace, maybe too fast moving at times. Wolfe is an interesting character though maybe he didn't translate too well into the screen. Despite plenty of stories available to adapt we would only see one more film in this series in a couple of years.
