House of Blackmail

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House of Blackmail
"House of Blackmail" (1953).jpg
Directed by Maurice Elvey
Written by Allan MacKinnon
Produced byPhilip Brandon
Starring William Sylvester
Mary Germaine
Cinematography Phil Grindrod
Edited byVera Campbell
Music by John Addison
Production
company
Distributed by Monarch Film Corporation (UK)
Release date
  • 1956 (1956)
Running time
72 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

House of Blackmail is a 1953 British second feature [1] drama film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Mary Germaine, William Sylvester and Alexander Gauge. [2] It was written by Allan MacKinnon. The plot follows a soldier and his girlfriend, who become mixed up with a blackmailer.

Contents

Plot

Playboy Billy Blane forges crook John Markham's signature on a cheque. Markham demands £5000 hush money from Blane. Blane asks his sister Carol for help. She drives to Markham's country house and en route picks up hitchhiker Jimmy, who agrees to pose as her lawyer. When Carol gives Markham a cheque, he demands that Carol and Jim remain at the house until the cheque clears. Carol persuades Jimmy to crack Markham's safe, which he finds empty. Markham is found murdered. It is revealed that Jimmy is an Army officer on an initiative test. He unmasks the murderer.

Cast

Critical reception

Kine Weekly said "The picture ... opens well, but as soon as it moves to Markham’s mansion its action becomes a trifle stilted, Mary Germaine, as Carol, displays good looks and obvious acting ability, and William Sylvester, although a little too sure of himself, registers as Jimmy, but the rest are a very mixed bag. Even so, the sound stellar portrayals, coupled with the 'twist' ending, give it the benefit of any doubts." [3]

Monthly Film Bulletin said "John Markham, a blackmailer, is murdered. Whodunit? The German doctor? The fake American? The supposed escaped convict? The wealthy commercial artist? The pugilistic butler or the demure maid? The police cannot be called in, as the house is surrounded by a high-tension circuit, and someone removed at least 18 inches from the telephone wire, so we have to spend about 40 minutes finding out. Of the cast, only Ingeborg Wells and Denis Shaw show any spirit, and direction is not particularly in evidence." [4]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "mediocre", writing: "Very modest version of traditional thriller." [5]

The Radio Times wrote: "Not one of [Maurice Elvey's] best efforts. We could do with more surprises, but the pace is unrelenting and there are typically solid performances from Mary Germaine, William Sylvester and John Arnatt." [6]

TV Guide called it "ordinary but fast paced." [7]

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References

  1. ↑ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 105. ISBN   978-1-8445-7319-6.
  2. ↑ "House of Blackmail". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  3. ↑ "House of Blackmail". Kine Weekly . 432 (2387): 27. 26 March 1953 – via ProQuest.
  4. ↑ "House of Blackmail". Monthly Film Bulletin . 20 (228): 73. 1953 – via ProQuest.
  5. ↑ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 325. ISBN   0-7134-1874-5.
  6. ↑ David Parkinson. "House of Blackmail". RadioTimes.
  7. ↑ "House Of Blackmail". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015.
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