Clue of the Twisted Candle is a 1960 British second feature[1] crime film directed by Allan Davis and starring Bernard Lee, David Knight and Francis De Wolff.[2] Part of the long-running series of Edgar Wallace Mysteries films made at Merton Park Studios, it is based on the 1918 novel The Clue of the Twisted Candle.[3]
| Clue of the Twisted Candle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Allan Davis |
| Written by | Philip Mackie |
| Based on | The Clue of the Twisted Candle by Edgar Wallace |
| Produced by | Jack Greenwood Jim O'Connolly |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Brian Rhodes |
| Edited by | Bernard Gribble |
| Music by | Francis Chagrin |
Production company | Merton Park Studios |
| Distributed by | Anglo-Amalgamated |
Release date | September 1960 |
Running time | 61 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot edit
Lexman is sent to prison, having been tricked by the Greek blackmailer Karadis. He escapes, and Karadis is found murdered in a sealed room. Meredith proves that it was Lexman who killed Karadis, who was in fact his partner in the blackmail operation.
Cast edit
- Bernard Lee as Superintendent Meredith
- David Knight as Lexman
- Francis De Wolff as Ramon Karadis
- Colette Wilde as Grace
- Christine Shaw as Linda Buckland
- Stanley Morgan as Sergeant Anson
- A. J. Brown as Commissioner of Police
- Richard Caldicot as Fisher
- Edmond Bennett as manservant
- Simon Lack as Jock
- Anthony Baird as Sergeant Butterfield
- Gladys Henson as landlady
- Alfred Maron as Finch
- Richard Vernon as Viney
- Harry Locke as Amis
- Roy Purcell as Brennan
- Kenneth Fortescue as Secretary, C.I.D.
- Hazel Hughes as Miss Cunningham
Critical reception edit
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The first of a series of one-hour second features adapted from Edgar Wallace, brought up to date but unable to avoid the slightly old-fashioned look one associates with Wallace's theatricality and liking for red herrings, Clue of the Twisted Candle nevertheless augurs well for the stories to come. After a slow start, curiosity is aroused and resourcefully maintained, with solid backgrounds, crisp playing and economical treatment lending the film an expert air."[4]
References edit
- ^ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 236. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
- ^ "Clue of the Twisted Candle". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ Goble, Alan (1999). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. p. 486.
- ^ "Clue of the Twisted Candle". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 27 (312): 154. 1 January 1960 – via ProQuest.
External links edit
- Clue of the Twisted Candle at IMDb
- Clue of the Twisted Candle then-and-now location photographs at ReelStreets
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