THE HOUR OF 13

UK, 1952, 80 minutes, Black and white.
Peter Lawford, Dawn Addams, Roland Culver, Derek Bond, Leslie Dwyer, Michael Hordern, Colin Gordon, Michael Goodliffe.
Directed by Harold French.

The Hour of 13 is a piece of Victorian melodrama. It is set in London in 1890.

Peter Lawford portrays a jewel thief (in the David Niven, Raffles vein). He is a man about town, with charm. However, he has various contacts including Leslie Dwyer as the driver of a hansom cab. He intends to rob a diamond – and does so, successfully, causing an upset at a society dinner. However, there is a serial killer in London, the Terror, murdering policemen. The Terror murders a policeman just outside the society dinner – and a connection is made between the killings and the stealing of the diamond.

Lawford decides to help the police, give them ideas of how to capture the killer. He also gives an alibi to a soldier who has been accused of the murders through circumstantial evidence. His fiancée, played by Dawn Addams, is the daughter of the head of Scotland Yard and Lawford ingratiates himself into her good graces, getting her to help him with his alleged detective work.

The film has a very strong supporting cast of British character actors including Roland Culver as the main police chief, Derek Bond as the soldier, Leslie Dwyer as the hansom cab driver, Michael Hordern as the head of Scotland Yard, Colin Gordon as a jewel appraiser, Michael Goodliffe as the assistant to the investigator.

The film is a game of wits, a 19th century style of detection story – with an ironic ending. It is based on a novel by Philip MacDonald?, prolific screenwriter and novelist, and it was filmed previously in 1934 as The Mystery of Mr X, with Robert Montgomery and Lewis Stone. This film is directed by British director, Harold French, who made Rob Roy at this time but also made the three portmanteau films of Somerset Maugham stories, Quartet, Trio, Encore.

1. An entertaining film of the 1950s? British-made? MGM values? Supporting feature?

2. The atmosphere of London, 1890, the fogs, the docks, the murder of the police? The range of locations? The contrast with Nick and his home? With Scotland Yard, society functions? The mix of London of the period? The musical score?

3. The Terror, the murder of the police – and the later revelation of his map, the capital letter T, the thirteen murders – and his revelation that he was killing a policeman for every year that he was in jail?

4. Nick, the gentleman thief? MacStreet? and his appraisals and information about jewels? Parker and the hansom cab? The fears about the robbery? Nick and his supreme self-confidence? His plan, the flowers, getting into the party, causing the upset with the table and cutlery, his stealing the jewel? Almost being caught, the murder outside, his hanging the jewel frame on the tree? The police and their conclusions? His wanting the insurance, waiting till the killer was apprehended then coming forward? Parker and his collaboration, his nervousness?

5. Frensham, head of Scotland Yard, the warnings by the Terror? Connor and his carrying out the Scotland Yard duties? Frensham and his daughter, Jane and her vivacity, the engagement to Chris?

6. Chris, the engagement, the military, the drinking, the dare to find a policeman’s helmet, his finding one, ironically of a murdered policeman, his dropping his handkerchief, Jane identifying it, the arrest? The court case? Nick and his deciding to be a witness, Parker and his evidence, their performances in court? Connor and his suspicions?

7. Jane, her relationship with Chris? The planned marriage? Nick and his attentions, going out to dinner, the friendship, the discussions about ways to catch the Terror? Her outings with Nick, the introduction to her father, his proposal about the articles in the media, Connor and his scepticism?

8. Nick, under Connor’s suspicions, putting a watch on him? Urging him to come to Scotland Yard, Nick and his shrewdness about the doctored drink? Connor and his continued surveillance?

9. Nick, Jane coming to visit him, Chris coming to visit – and Nick and his avowal to break the relationship with Jane? Her saying goodbye?

10. The plan to capture the Terror? Parker and the places where the murders were committed? The capital T? Nick, getting the costume, letting the police guard off, his encounter with the Terror, the sword, the fight, the roof, the Terror’s fall, his confession to Connor?

11. MacStreet?, his being arrested, interrogated? Confirming Connor’s suspicions? His coming to Nick – and the photo taken? Their riding in the carriage – and Nick going free?

12. A mixture of Victorian melodrama, police investigation, serial killers, wit, drama and comedy of manners?