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The Man Who Was Nobody
UK 1960
produced by Jack Greenwood for Merton Park Studios
directed by Montgomery Tully
starring Hazel Court, John Crawford, Lisa Daniely, Paul Eddington, Robert Dorning, Kevin Stoney, William Abney, Jack Watson, Anthony Dawes, Vanda Godsell, Richard Bennett, Cecil Brock, Michael Anthony, Deidre Day, Arnold Diamond, Norma Parnell, Odette Nash, André Mikhelson
screenplay by James Eastwood, based on the novel by Edgar Wallace, music by Francis Chagrin
Merton Park Studios' Edgar Wallace Mysteries
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Available on DVD! To buy, click on link(s) below and help keep this site afloat (commissions earned) |
Always make sure of DVD-compatibility!!!
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After a valuable diamond is stolen from a jeweller by "respected
customer" Tynewood (William Abney), his lawyer Vance (Robert Dorning)
hires private detective Marjorie Stedman (Hazel Court) to trail Tynewood
down and let him know "South Africa Smith is here". Marjorie is
pretty much perfect for the job as she's just as home in beatnik dives as
in working class bars and casinos. And traveling through all these social
circles, she has soon tracked down Tynewood's fiancée Alma (Lisa Daniely)
and rents the flat opposite the street from hers to keep her under
surveillance. But then Tynewood's body is found dead - which ought to put
an end to the job, if it wasn't for South Africa Smith (John Crawford),
who turns up at Marjorie's place and implores her to keep investigating.
So Marjorie makes friends with Alma, through her meets casino owner Franz
Reuter (Paul Eddington), and gets herself and Smith invited to his illegal
casino - where Smith pretends to be losing all his money and then tries to
sell a diamond to Reuter. Reuter proves to be interested and invites him
to his headquarters - conveniently Alma's place. But once there, things
get out of hands, not made better when Marjorie arrives at the scene as
well ... So ok, as a bona fide murder mystery this film's a bit
too far-fetched and convoluted and favours sensationalism over stringent
storytelling, something that has always been a weakness of Edgar Wallace
as a writer - which though is also part of the appeal of his books and
their adaptations. However, what really brings this movie alive, apart
from a lively directorial effort, is Hazel Court's performance, as she
proves incredibly versatile and likeable in this movie and seems to be
clearly enjoying her role, which clearly translates to the screen. That's
not to say this movie's a masterpiece, but good fun at the very least.
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review © by Mike Haberfelner
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Thanks for watching !!!
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Robots and rats,
demons and potholes, cuddly toys and shopping mall Santas,
love and death and everything in between,
Tales to Chill Your Bones to is all of that.
Tales to Chill Your Bones to -
a collection of short stories and mini-plays ranging from the horrific to the darkly humourous,
from the post-apocalyptic to the weirdly romantic,
tales that will give you a chill and maybe a chuckle,
all thought up by the twisted mind of screenwriter and film reviewer Michael Haberfelner.
Tales to Chill Your Bones to
the new anthology by Michael Haberfelner
Out now from Amazon!!! |
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