edna may oliver be probably second only to marie dressler a the most famous character actress of the 1930 and miss dressler be a star whereas miss oliver tend to play mostly second lead . the penguin pool murder be one of about a dozen starring feature for edna may and it an absolute treat and probably the funny comedy mystery ever make . the first of three film for oliver a novelist stuart palmer fiftyish caustic and snoopy schoolteacher miss withers and the movie be a major hit in 1932 and one can see why even today and the duologue be hilarious and the set quite novel and and the cast be fine and especially oliver and james gleason who have such a superb team chemistry together be near tragic they only make three film together ( oliver leave rko radio picture in 1935 and the studio unwisely decide to carry on the series with different actress much to moviegoer and author stuart palmer displeasure . ) the plot have be deal with by other poster so i would not go in to it but even if murder mystery be not your thing and if you love a good comedy you will will thoroughly enjoy this picture a oliver get off some delicious zinger and mostly at the semi incompetent inspector piper ( gleason ) expense . a a mystery and it work very fine as well although i think most people might be able to pick out the murderer well before either withers or piper . the movie boast two cultish 1930 lead lady in support cast quite against character and mae clarke in an unusually glamorous role for her a one of the suspect and most surprising and rochelle hudson and best known for her ultra wholesome ingénues and paint up like a back street hooker a a floozy of a telephone operator who have a hilarious run in with miss withers . every time i watch one of the three oliver miss withers picture i regret there be not more of them out there . at least there be a dozen or so miss withers novel by stuart palmer ( many still in print include the penguin pool murder ) for u to cast her again in our mind eye again in the role . i believe hildegarde withers be the great of all the old lady snoop in mystery novel and film and that include miss marple and jessica fletcher .