Three Silent Men

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Three Silent Men
Three Silent Men (1940 film).jpg
Directed by Thomas Bentley
Written byJack Byrd
Dudley Leslie
Based onthe novel Three Silent Men by E.P. Thorne [1]
Produced byF.W. Baker
Starring Sebastian Shaw
Derrick De Marney
Patricia Roc
Arthur Hambling
Cinematography Geoffrey Faithfull
Edited by Cecil H. Williamson
Production
company
Distributed byButcher's Film Service
Release date
  • 7 September 1940 (1940-09-07)
Running time
72 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Three Silent Men is a 1940 British second feature ('B') [2] crime film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Sebastian Shaw, Derrick De Marney, Patricia Roc and Arthur Hambling. [3] [4] It was written by Jack Byrd and Dudley Leslie. 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 the prime suspect. [5]

Contents

Plot

Pacifist surgeon Sir James Quentin operates on Zaroff, the inventor of a lethal weapon to be used against the Allies in the war. When Zaroff is discovered dead from an excess of ether, Quentin is immediately suspected. To clear her father's name, Quentin's daughter Pat and her boyfriend Captain Mellish search for the murderer.

Cast

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "After a slow and uncertain opening the story gets well away. It has abundance of action, thrills, suspense, a pleasant romance and works up to an unexpected and dramatic climax. The weakest point is rather laboured dialogue, but this is comparatively unimportant when the action develops. The direction is workmanlike and the atmosphere convincing. The acting is uneven. Derrick de Marney makes a likable and natural John Mellish, and Patricia Roc is unaffected and attractive as Pat. Sebastian Shaw is miscast as Sir James, and never seems quite at ease. The supporting players are competent and good." [6]

Kine Weekly wrote: "The story is not quickly off the mark, but its acceleration improves as it warms up, and it ends with pace, punch and an exciting and showmanlike element of surprise. The players are, with few exceptions, equal to their responsibilities, the direction reveals resource, and the atmosphere is, for the most part, both colourful and convincing. In all, a lively and popular best seller in handy form." [7]

Picturegoer wrote: "Espionage melodrama, rather slow in getting off the mark, but with a thrilling ending.  ... Sebastian Shaw is a trifle theatrical as Sir James, but Derrick de Marney is good as Mellish and Patricia Roc reveals charm and acting ability as the heroine." [8]

TV Guide gave the film two out of five stars, calling it "Badly written, though the suspense makes it entertaining." [9]

References

  1. ↑ Goble, Alan (1 January 1999). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN   9783110951943 – via Google Books.
  2. ↑ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 8. ISBN   978-1-8445-7319-6.
  3. ↑ "Three Silent Men". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
  4. ↑ "Three Silent Men (1940)". Archived from the original on 15 January 2009.
  5. ↑ "Three Silent Men (1940) - Daniel Birt - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie".
  6. ↑ "Three Silent Men". The Monthly Film Bulletin . 7 (73): 88. 1 January 1940. ProQuest   1305812060.
  7. ↑ "Three Silent Men". Kine Weekly . 280 (1730): 14. 13 June 1940. ProQuest   2339672783.
  8. ↑ "Three Silent Men". Picturegoer . 9: 14. 5 September 1940. ProQuest   1771127099.
  9. ↑ "Three Silent Men". TV Guide . Archived from the original on 2 February 2017.
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