Room to Let (1950 film)
Room to Let | |
---|---|
Directed by | Godfrey Grayson |
Written by |
|
Produced by | Anthony Hinds |
Starring | |
Cinematography | Cedric Williams |
Edited by | James Needs |
Music by | Frank Spencer |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Exclusive Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 68 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Room to Let is a 1950 British historical thriller film directed by Godfrey Grayson and starring Jimmy Hanley, Valentine Dyall and Constance Smith.[1] It was adapted from the BBC radio play by Margery Allingham, broadcast in 1947.[2][3]
Synopsis
[edit]After a fire at an insane asylum during the Edwardian era, a young journalist becomes convinced that one of the patients has escaped and taken lodgings at a local middle-class household. The mysterious "Doctor Fell" comes to dominate the three women in the house - mother, daughter and maid - and increasingly shuts them off from outside contact. Despite a lack of assistance from the authorities, the journalist suspects that the Doctor is in fact the notorious Jack the Ripper who is planning a fresh series of attacks.
Cast
[edit]- Jimmy Hanley as Curly Minter
- Valentine Dyall as Doctor Fell
- Christine Silver as Mrs. Musgrave
- Merle Tottenham as Alice
- Constance Smith as Molly Musgrave
- Charles Hawtrey as Mike Atkinson
- Aubrey Dexter as Harding
- Anthony La Penna as JJ
- Reginald Dyson as Sergeant Cranbourne
- Laurence Naismith as Editor
- John Clifford as Atkinson
- Stuart Saunders as Porter
- Cyril Conway as Doctor Mansfield
- Charles Houston as Tom
- Harriet Petworth as Matron
- Charles Mander as P.C. Smith
- H. Hamilton Earle as Orderly
- F.A. Williams as Butler
- Archie Callum as Night Watchman
Critical reception
[edit]TV Guide gave the film two out of five stars, calling it "A fairly disturbing programmer which remains suspenseful to the end."[4] and Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings wrote, "This is basically a variation of THE LODGER, and a very effective one. Valentine Dyall steals the movie as the truly creepy lodger, Dr. Fell."[5]
References
[edit]- ^ Chibnall & MacFarlane p.76
- ^ "Room to Let (1950)". Archived from the original on 3 October 2017.
- ^ Jones, Julia (12 January 2018). The Adventures of Margery Allingham. Golden Duck UK Ltd. ISBN 9781899262014 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Room To Let". TVGuide.com.
- ^ "Roon to Let (1950)". 14 December 2014.
Bibliography
[edit]- Chibnall, Steve & McFarlane, Brian. The British 'B' Film. Palgrave MacMillan, 2009.
External links
[edit]- Room to Let at IMDb
- 1950 films
- British historical thriller films
- 1950s historical thriller films
- Films directed by Godfrey Grayson
- Films set in London
- Films set in the 1900s
- Films about Jack the Ripper
- Hammer Film Productions films
- British black-and-white films
- 1950s English-language films
- 1950s British films
- Films scored by Frank Spencer
- English-language historical thriller films
- 1950s British film stubs