| The Diplomatic Corpse | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Montgomery Tully |
| Written by |
|
| Produced by | Francis Searle |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Phil Grindrod |
| Edited by | Jim Connock |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Rank Film Distributors (UK) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 65 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The Diplomatic Corpse is a 1958 British second feature [1] comedy thriller film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Robin Bailey, Susan Shaw and Liam Redmond. [2] It was produced by ACT Films.
A crime reporter, assisted by his girlfriend, a fashion reporter at the same newspaper, investigates a dead body taken out of the River Thames. They are soon able to link it with a foreign embassy, making it a sensitive diplomatic matter.
Producer Francis Searle recalled the film "was a near-disaster. We had cast Ursula Howells; then, at the very last moment, she was taken sick and couldn’t appear. I then had to find another artiste quickly. We finished up with Susan Shaw and she was all right." [3]
The film's sets were designed by the art director Joseph Bato.
Monthly Film Bulletin said "Though mainly naive and sterotyped hokum, lively presentation makes this an entertaining second feature. The 'foreign' voice of Maya Koumani is rather fetching and other less exotic players spirited enough in their way." [4]
Chibnall and McFarlane in The British 'B' Film wrote: "`a pair of sparring reporters (Robin Bailey and Susan Shaw) is meant to be striking sparks of sexual interest, but Bailey in particular is quite lost in this sort of role. ... the characters are thinly written – apart from the uninspiring romantic duo." [1]
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Thriller with a sense of humour." [5]
The Girl in the Picture is a 1957 British second feature crime film directed by Don Chaffey and starring Donald Houston and Patrick Holt.
The Broken Horseshoe is a 1953 British "B" crime film directed by Martyn C. Webster and starring Robert Beatty, Elizabeth Sellars, Peter Coke, and Hugh Kelly. It was based on a BBC television series of the same title from the previous year. A surgeon is drawn into a murder case.
Blood Orange is a 1953 British crime film directed by Terence Fisher and starring Tom Conway and Mila Parély. It was released in the United States as Three Stops to Murder. A private eye investigating a jewel robbery at a London fashion house finds himself involved in a murder mystery.
Stolen Assignment is a 1955 British comedy 'B' film directed by Terence Fisher and starring John Bentley and Hy Hazell. It was produced by Francis Searle for Act Films Ltd and was a sequel to Fisher's Final Appointment (1954), featuring sleuthing journalists Mike Billings and Jenny Drew.
Find the Lady is a 1956 British comedy thriller 'B' film directed by Charles Saunders and starring Donald Houston, Beverley Brooks and Mervyn Johns.
Murder at 3 a.m. is a 1953 British crime film second feature directed by Francis Searle and starring Dennis Price, Peggy Evans and Rex Garner. A Scotland Yard detective investigates a series of attacks on women.
One Jump Ahead is a 1955 British second feature ('B') crime film directed by Charles Saunders and starring Paul Carpenter, Diane Hart, Jill Adams and Freddie Mills. The screenplay was by Doreen Montgomery based on the 1951 novel of the same name by Robert H. Chapman.
No Trace is a 1950 British second feature crime film directed by John Gilling and starring Hugh Sinclair, Dinah Sheridan and John Laurie. A crime writer murders a blackmailer, and is then asked to help solve the case by the police.
Recoil is a 1953 British 'B' crime film directed by John Gilling and starring Kieron Moore, Elizabeth Sellars and Edward Underdown.
Kill Her Gently is a 1957 British second feature thriller film directed by Charles Saunders and starring Griffith Jones, Maureen Connell and Marc Lawrence.
Little Red Monkey is a 1955 British thriller film directed by Ken Hughes and starring Richard Conte, Rona Anderson and Russell Napier. The screenplay was by Hughes and James Eastwood, based on the 1953 BBC Television series of the same name written by Eric Maschwitz.
Man Accused is a 1959 British second feature ('B') crime film directed by Mongomery Tully and starring Ronald Howard and Carol Marsh. The screenplay was by Mark Grantham.
The Great Van Robbery is a 1959 black-and-white British crime film starring Denis Shaw and Kay Callard, directed by Max Varnel.
Bond of Fear is a 1956 British 'B' crime drama film directed by Henry Cass and starring Dermot Walsh, Jane Barrett, and John Colicos. The screenplay was by John Gilling and Norman Hudis.
Johnny on the Spot is a 1954 British 'B' crime drama film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Hugh McDermott, Elspet Gray and Paul Carpenter. It was written by Rogers based on the 1953 novel Paid in Full by Michael Cronin.
Passport to Treason is a 1956 British second feature mystery thriller directed by Robert S. Baker and starring Rod Cameron, Lois Maxwell, and Clifford Evans. It was written by Kenneth R. Hayles and Norman Hudis, based on the Manning O'Brine novel of the same name.
Undercover Girl is a 1958 British second feature crime film directed by Francis Searle and starring Paul Carpenter, Kay Callard, and Bruce Seton. A photographer combats a ruthless extortionist.
Profile is a 1954 British second feature thriller film directed by Francis Searle and starring John Bentley, Kathleen Byron and Thea Gregory. A murder mystery set in a magazine publishers.
Wrong Number is a 1959 British second feature crime film directed by Vernon Sewell and starring Peter Reynolds, Lisa Gastoni and Olive Sloane. It was written by James Eastwood and Norman Edwards.
It Happened in Soho is a 1948 British black and white low-budget B film directed by Frank Chisnell and starring Richard Murdoch and Henry Oscar. A reporter trails a multiple killer.
 | This article related to a British comedy film of the 1950s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
