Paul Temple Returns | |
---|---|
Directed by | Maclean Rogers |
Written by | Francis Durbridge |
Based on | Paul Temple by Francis Durbridge |
Produced by | Ernest G. Roy |
Starring | John Bentley Patricia Dainton Peter Gawthorne |
Cinematography | Geoffrey Faithfull |
Edited by | Jim Connock |
Music by | Wilfred Burns |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Butcher's Film Service |
Release date |
|
Running time | 71 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Paul Temple Returns (U.S. title: Bombay Waterfront [1] ) is a 1952 British crime film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring John Bentley, Patricia Dainton and Peter Gawthorne. [2] [3]
It was the fourth and last in the series of Paul Temple films distributed by Butcher's Film Service: the others are Send for Paul Temple (1946) (with Anthony Hulme as Paul Temple), Calling Paul Temple (1948, the first with John Bentley in the title role), and Paul Temple's Triumph (1950). [4] Aside from Bentley, the other actors were different from those in the earlier film series.
A series of seemingly unconnected murders takes place in London, with the murderer leaving a calling card signed "The Marquis". Aspiring novelist and amateur detective Paul Temple and his wife Steve are called in to investigate. An ancient papyrus scroll recently excavated in Egypt by the menacing archaeologist Sir Felix Raybourne appears to hold the key to the murders. It details an antidote for all narcotic drugs, which if put to use could put an end to lucrative criminal drug cartels in London. [5] x
The film was shot at Walton Studios with sets designed by the art director George Paterson. Some location shooting also took place in London.
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "On the whole, the somewhat thin and bloodless story does hold together, even if it often just misses being convincing. The camera tends to be over-suggestive, especially in indicating the murderer, but this fault may lie with the editing rather than the direction. Competent acting ensures this inoffensive thriller some measure of success." [6]
Kine Weekly wrote: "The picture moves around and introduces an artful touch of colour into its hardy blood and thunder, but fails to spring a surprise climax. John Lender has an engaging and disarming way with him as Temple. Patricia Dainton pleases as Steve, but Grey Blake lets the side down through no fault of his own as Storey. It's obvious from the start that he is the killer, and lack of subtlety takes some of the sting out of the robust "who-dunnit." The impediment is, however, considerably offset by effectively sinister atmosphere, apt light relief and spectacular pyrotechnic 'curtain'." [7]
TV Guide called the film a "standard murder mystery." [8]
Britmovie wrote: "B-movie director Maclean Rogers keeps the story moving at a brisk pace and makes good use of exterior locations." [9]
Renown Pictures has issued all four Paul Temple films on DVD. [10]
Francis Henry Durbridge was an English dramatist and author, best known for the creation of the character Paul Temple, the gentlemanly detective who appeared in 16 BBC multi-part radio serials from 1938 onward.
Paul Temple is a fictional character created by English writer Francis Durbridge. Temple is a professional author of crime fiction and an amateur private detective. With his wife Louise, affectionately known as 'Steve' in reference to her journalistic pen name 'Steve Trent', he solves whodunnit crimes through subtle, humorously articulated deduction. Always the gentleman, the strongest expletive he employs is "by Timothy!".
The Saint Meets the Tiger is a 1941 British mystery thriller film directed by Paul L. Stein and starring Hugh Sinclair, Jean Gillie and Clifford Evans. It was made by the British unit of RKO Pictures and released the same year, but was not distributed until 1943 in America. This was to be the last of the eight films in RKO's film series about the crimefighter the Saint. It was shot at Denham Studios outside London with sets designed by the art director Paul Sheriff. The previous entries in the series had all been made in Hollywood except The Saint's Vacation.
Susan Shaw was an English actress.
John Bentley was a British film actor. He had a successful career as a leading man from the 1940s to the late '50s and was a popular heart-throb who appeared in many British B-movies during that time. Later in his career, in the 1970s he appeared as Hugh Mortimer, Meg Richardson's ill-fated third husband in the English soap opera Crossroads. He also starred in the jungle adventure series African Patrol (1957) as Chief Inspector Paul Derek and made various other guest appearances in many popular TV series from the late 50s onwards.
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television's 23rd Gemini Awards were held on November 28, 2008, to honour achievements in Canadian television. The awards show, which was hosted by Jason Priestley, took place at the John Bassett Theatre in Toronto and was broadcast on Showcase and E!.
Peter Gawthorne was an Anglo-Irish actor, probably best known for his roles in the films of Will Hay and other popular British comedians of the 1930s and 1940s. Gawthorne was one of Britain's most called-upon supporting actors during this period.
Dancing with Crime is a 1947 British film noir film directed by John Paddy Carstairs, starring Richard Attenborough, Barry K. Barnes and Sheila Sim. A man hunts down the killer of his lifelong friend.
Tread Softly is a 1952 British second feature ('B') crime film with musical overtones, directed by David MacDonald and starring Frances Day, Patricia Dainton and John Bentley. It was written by Gerald Verner based on his novel The Show Must Go On. A chorus girl investigates a series of mysterious happenings at a derelict theatre.
Patricia Dainton was a British actress who appeared in a number of films and television roles between 1947 and 1961.
The Flaw is a 1955 British second feature crime film directed by Terence Fisher, and starring John Bentley and Donald Houston. The story and screenplay were by Brandon Fleming.
Three Silent Men is a 1940 British crime film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Sebastian Shaw, Derrick De Marney, Patricia Roc and Arthur Hambling. The screenplay concerns a pacifist surgeon who must operate to save the life of the inventor of a deadly weapon of war. When the inventor dies the surgeon becomes prime suspect.
The Third Alibi is a 1961 British 'B' thriller film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Laurence Payne, Patricia Dainton, Jane Griffiths and Edward Underdown. The screenplay is by Maurice J. Wilson and Tully, based on the play A Moment of Blindness by Pip and Jane Baker.
The House in Marsh Road, known on American television as Invisible Creature, is a 1960 British horror suspense film produced by Maurice J. Wilson, directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Tony Wright, Patricia Dainton and Sandra Dorne. The plot centres on a benevolent poltergeist in a country home that protects a woman from her homicidal husband. It may be one of the first films to use the word 'poltergeist' in reference to a spirit or ghost. The film was never released to theatres in the USA and instead went straight to television.
Calling Paul Temple is a 1948 British crime film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring John Bentley, Dinah Sheridan and Margaretta Scott. It was the second in a series of four Paul Temple films distributed by Butcher's Film Service. The first was Send for Paul Temple (1946), with Anthony Hulme as Paul Temple. John Bentley then took over the role in Calling Paul Temple, continuing for two further films: Paul Temple's Triumph (1950) and Paul Temple Returns (1952). It was produced by Ernest G. Roy at the Nettlefold Film Studios in Walton On Thames.
Paul Temple's Triumph is a 1950 British crime film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring John Bentley, Dinah Sheridan and Jack Livesey. It was the third in the series of four Paul Temple films made at Nettlefold Studios and was an adaptation of the Francis Durbridge radio serial News of Paul Temple (1939). Temple is on the trail of a gang of international criminals trying to steal atomic secrets.
Salute the Toff is a 1952 British crime film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring John Bentley and Carol Marsh. The film was based on the 1941 novel of the same name by John Creasey, the sixth in the series featuring upper-class sleuth Richard Rollinson, also known as "The Toff". This film and another Toff adaptation, Hammer the Toff, were shot back-to-back at Nettlefold Studios in the summer of 1951. They were released to cinemas in January and May 1952 respectively.
Hammer the Toff is a 1952 British second feature crime film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring John Bentley and Patricia Dainton. The film was based on the 1947 novel of the same name by John Creasey, the 17th in the series featuring upper-class sleuth Richard Rollinson, also known as "The Toff".
I Cover Big Town is a 1947 American drama film directed by William C. Thomas and written by Maxwell Shane. The film stars Phillip Reed, Hillary Brooke, Robert Lowery, Robert Shayne, Mona Barrie and Vince Barnett. It was released on February 27, 1947 by Paramount Pictures and was the second in the Big Town series of films.
Witness in the Dark is a 1959 British second feature crime drama film directed by Wolf Rilla, and starring Patricia Dainton, Conrad Phillips, Madge Ryan and Nigel Green. It was written by Leigh Vance and John Lemont and produced by Norman Williams.