A Shot in the Dark (1933 film)

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Shot in the Dark
"A Shot in the Dark" (1933 film).jpg
Directed by George Pearson
Written by Gerard Fairlie
Terence Egan
Based onnovel by H. Fowler Mear
Produced by Julius Hagen
Starring Dorothy Boyd
O. B. Clarence
Jack Hawkins
Michael Shepley
Cinematography Ernest Palmer
Edited byLister Laurance
Production
company
Distributed by Radio Pictures
Release date
  • November 1933 (1933-11)
Running time
53 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Shot in the Dark (also known as A Shot in the Dark) is a 1933 British mystery film directed by George Pearson and starring Dorothy Boyd, O. B. Clarence, Jack Hawkins and Michael Shepley. [1] [2] It was written by Gerard Fairlie and Terence Egan and shot at Twickenham Studios in London as a quota quickie for release by RKO Pictures. [3]

Contents

Synopsis

When a wealthy old man dies suddenly, a local priest suspects something and begins to investigate.

Cast

Critical reception

Kine Weekly wrote: "The opening stages are well-developed, but the progress of the plot is considerably slowed by the many false clues which hinder the investigator. Credulity is strained by so many people attempting to commit murder on the same stormy evening." [4]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "mediocre", writing: "Typical multi-suspect whodunnit." [5]

Britmovie called the film a "typical multi-suspect “quota quickie”" [6]

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References

  1. "A Shot in the Dark". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  2. "BFI | Film & TV Database | A SHOT IN THE DARK (1933)". Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk. 16 April 2009. Archived from the original on 3 September 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  3. Chibnall, Steve (2007). Quota Quickies: The Birth of the British 'B' Film. British Film Institute. p. 285. ISBN   978-1844571543.
  4. "A Shot in the Dark" . Kine Weekly . 201 (1385): 39. 2 November 1933 via ProQuest.
  5. Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 145. ISBN   0-7134-1874-5.
  6. "A Shot in the Dark". britmovie.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2015.