MYSTERY IN SWING (1940) Monte Hawley, Marguerite Whitten, Tommie Moore | Mystery, Black Cinema | B&W

Mystery in Swing is an American murder mystery film released in 1940. It was directed by Arthur Dreifuss, based on a script by Arthur Hoerl. (The University of California at Berkeley erroneously states it was directed by Arthur Hoerl.)

Mystery in Swing features music by The Four Toppers and Cee Pee Johnson and his Orchestra and was noted as being the first time a Black orchestra recorded an entire score for a film. It is currently held in the collections of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

SYNOPSIS
In and around some great blues, swing, and jazz music, an unpopular band leader, Prince Ellis, is murdered in a Harlem nightclub. A detective investigates the crime, discovering that the list of suspects is very long due to Prince Ellis's unpopularity with many citizens.

CAST & CREW
Monte Hawley as Biff Boyd
Marguerite Whitten as Linda Carroll
Tommie Moore as Mae Carroll
Edward Thompson as Captain Hall
Buck Woods as Buck Bedford
Jess Lee Brooks as John Carroll
Josephine Edwards as Maxine Ray
Sybil Lewis as Cleo Ellis
Robert Webb (actor) as Prince Ellis
Alfred Grant as Chet Wallace
Thomas Southern as Sgt. Phipps
Halley Harding as Editor Bailey

Directed by: Arthur Dreifuss
Screenplay by: Arthur Hoerl
Produced by: Rudolph Brent, Arthur Dreifuss
Edited by: Robert Crandall
Production company: Aetna Film Corp.
Release date: May 10, 1940 (United States)
Country: United States
Language: English
Runtime 1 hour 8 minutes

NOTES
Music
Songs in the movie include "Jump, the water's fine", "Let's go to a party" performed by The Four Toppers, "You can't fool yourself about love", "Beat my blues away", and "Swinging sweet and lightly" performed by Cee Pee Johnson and his Orchestra.

Reception and legacy
A review in Box Office noted, "The cast, largely comprising night-club entertainers, delivers competently and there are a few welcome and well-done musical interludes."Mystery in Swing has been noted for being the first time a Black orchestra recorded an entire score for a film.