JohnHowardReid
Victor Jory (Chuck Williams), Pamela Blake (Julie), Veda Ann Borg (Helen), Harry Hayden (Nadroy), Nora Cecil (Martha Williams), Lee "Lasses" White (Joe Williams), Paul Fix (Fats), Emory Parnell (sheriff), Ray Walker (Swarthy), Edwin Mills (Sidney), Joe Yule (popcorn seller), Paul Porcasi (barber), Frank Faylen (truck driver), Frank Ferguson (garage-man).Director: KURT NEUMANN. Screenplay: Philip Yordan. Story: Maurice Franklin. Photography: Jackson Rose. Film editor: Martin G. Cohn. Music composed by Dimitri Tiomkin, directed by David Chudnow. Dialogue director: Edward E. Kaye. Art directors: Neil McGuire, Dave Milton. Set decorator: Tommy Thompson. Production manager: George Moskov. Assistant directors: Clarence Bricker, Herman King. Sound engineer: Glen Glenn. Western Electric Sound System. Associate producer: Franklin King. Producer: Maurice King. A King Brothers Production for Monogram.Copyright 9 September 1943 by Monogram Pictures Corp. U.S. release: 22 October 1943. Australian release through British Empire Films: 11 May 1944. 5,762 feet. 64 minutes.COMMENT: A "B" spin-off of Hitchcock's 1941 "Suspicion", and just as disappointing in its conclusion, which not only negates much that has gone before, but paints the lovely heroine as a silly twit. Nonetheless, within the bounds of its cop-out script, it's remarkably well produced, with glossy photography, solid acting (Blake and Hayden register strongly), plus top-notch production values and technical credits (including a Dimitri Tiomkin music score). Even Kurt Neumann's direction is far more polished and assured than usual. The small-town setting and atmosphere is astutely conveyed, not only through skillful art direction but especially through the efforts of character players like Emory Parnell, Paul Porcasi and Lee White.
qrt7
***Spoilers***Strange, surly and menacing looking man turns up in town, the two stingy old gits at the hunting lodge disappear and he takes over. No-one really notices - not even the maid at the lodge - which about sums this film up.Eventually (once someone finally thinks they might have been murdered, and the locals get into a lather and go to lynch him) the stingy old gits turn up safe and well having been on holiday (somewhere different to normal, which confused the locals) and spent oodles of money. The potential killer is (I think) a seemingly small time hoodlum who is their Nephew. Oh, and he falls for the maid too. Yep, only seen it a million times before. But done better every time...Thus, a completely formulaic stodgy fare with woodworm-riddled acting, this is a film to be avoided at all costs. It's an only an hour long for good reason!2/10
