King of the Underworld (1952 film)

King of the Underworld
Frame from the film
Directed by	Victor M. Gover
Written by	John Gilling
Produced by	Gilbert Church
Starring	Tod Slaughter Patrick Barr Tucker McGuire
Edited by	Helen Wiggins
Music by	William Trytel
Production company	Gilbert Church Productions
Distributed by	Ambassador Film Productions
Release date	July 1952 (1952-07)
Running time	82 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

King of the Underworld is a 1952 British crime film directed by Victor M. Gover and starring Tod Slaughter, Patrick Barr and Tucker McGuire. ^[1] It was written by John Gilling. It was followed by a sequel Murder at Scotland Yard (1953).

Plot

A master criminal is hunted by the police after committing a series of crimes.

Cast

• Tod Slaughter as Terence Reilly
• Patrick Barr as Inspector Morley
• Tucker McGuire as Eileen Trotter
• Ingeborg von Kusserow as Marie
• Frank Hawkins as Inspector Cranshaw
• Leonard Sharp as Mullins
• Anne Valery as Susan

Production

The film was made at Bushey Studios with sets designed by the art director Don Chaffey.

Critical reception

Kine Weekly wrote: "The picture is tongue-in-the-cheek stuff ... 'Sweeny Tod' Slaughter delivers every menacing line with obvious relish and is both amusing and effectively sinister as Riley, and the rest keep in step. King of the Underworld should be a crowning success with avid readers of penny dreadfuls." ^[2]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "mediocre", writing: "Slight change of pace for barnstorming star, but film not widely shown." ^[3]

References

1. "King of the Underworld". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
2. "King of the Underworld". Kinematograph Weekly: 22. 26 June 1952. ProQuest   2732586603.
3. Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 334. ISBN   0-7134-1874-5.

External links

• King of the Underworld at IMDb