Murder at 3 a.m. is a 1953 British second feature[1]: 172 crime film directed by Francis Searle and starring Dennis Price, Peggy Evans and Rex Garner.[2] It was written by John Ainsworth. A Scotland Yard detective investigates a series of attacks on women.
| Murder at 3am | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Original Australian poster | |
| Directed by | Francis Searle |
| Written by | John Ainsworth Moie Charles (additional dialogue) |
| Story by | John Ainsworth |
| Produced by | John Ainsworth David Henley |
| Starring | Dennis Price Peggy Evans Rex Garner |
| Cinematography | S.D. Onions |
| Edited by | Adam Dawson |
| Music by | Eric Spear |
Production companies | David Henley Productions Renown Pictures Corporation |
Release date |
|
Running time | 60 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot
editThere have been a series of attacks on women walking home in the early hours, and now a woman has been found murdered. Chief Inspector Peter Lawton investigates. His suspicion falls on Edward King, an ex-commando who is engaged to Lawton's sister Joan. He uses Joan to trap King, but King flees. It transpires that King is innocent; the killer is his half-brother Jim.
Cast
edit- Dennis Price as Chief Inspector Peter Lawton
- Peggy Evans as Joan Lawton
- Rex Garner as Detective Sergeant Todd
- Arnold Bell as Assistant Commissioner McMann
- Greta Mayaro as Lena
- Philip Saville as Edward 'Teddy' King/Jim King
- Leonard Sharp as Old Skip
- Nora Gordon as Nanna
- Renee Goddard as Lady Branstead
- Arthur Lovegrove as Inspector Cobb
- Daphne Maddox as victim
- Robert Weeden as CID constable
- John Davis as transmitting constable (uncredited)
Critical reception
editKine Weekly said "The exuberant, if somewhat lurid and extravagent, yarn unfolds against bright night-club and realistic nocturnal London street scenes which cunningly create an illusion of scope. For its size it carries quite a kick."[3]
Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "A second-rate thriller, unimaginatively directed; the cast attempts to make something out of the too-familiar dialogue and situations."[4]
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "mediocre", writing: "Shabby 'B' feature, tiresomely made"[5]
To-Day's Cinema called it an "efficient specimen" of the crime thriller.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2018) [2009]. The British 'B' Film. London and New York City: Bloomsbury/BFI. p. 152. ISBN 9781844575749.
- ^ "Murder at 3 a.m." British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ "Murder at 3 a.m." Kine Weekly. 436 (2403): 22. 16 July 1953 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Murder at 3 a.m." Monthly Film Bulletin. 20 (228): 135. 1 January 1953 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 349. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.
External links
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