THE STRANGE CASE OF DR MANNING
UK, 1957, 78 minutes, Black and white.
Greta Gynt, Ron Randall, Garard Green, Bruce Seton, Virginia Keily.
Directed by Arthur Crabtree.
This is a brief British supporting feature of the 1950s. It is more of an investigation case rather than a murder mystery. The doctor receives a phone call in the middle of the night to go out on a case – and then he disappears, later found murdered. His wife (Greta Gynt) gets the help of her lawyer who ask an American investigator (Ron Randall) to help with the investigation.
The film shows the work of the police, assembling clues, following them. It also shows the role of the media and the pressures. It also indicates, rather vividly, some of the cranks who respond, especially a vicious woman deserted by her husband, as well is a prostitute who claims she can identify the killer in order to get headlines and a photo in the paper.
The solution is somewhat downbeat, a revenge killing because the doctor had been involved in a death in a car accident some years earlier.
The film was directed by cinematographer Arthur Crabtree who moved into.
1. A kidnapping story? Police investigation? Direction in the 1940s and 50s
2. The 1950s, London, streets, parks, authentic city atmosphere? Musical score?
3. The introduction to the story, the doctor at home, the phone call, his wife, going on the call, not turning up at the hospital, his wife’s concern, the lawyer?
4. Contacting the American investigator, at the airport, his return? Collaborating with the police?
5. The notes, the delivery? The role of the media? The range of crank calls, the religious man visiting, the deserted wife and her vicious phone call? Vera, wanting some publicity? The effect on Anette?
6. The police, the strategies? Looking for clues? Information on various leads?
7. Anette, the effect, her contact with the kidnapper, not seeing him? The money, the delivery? The list of notes and their identification? Anette, wanting to go it alone, the support of her lawyer, the American?
8. Sightings, the man at the shop, receiving the letter, reading it to everyone? The kidnapper returning and the proprietor letting the police know? The kidnapper using the little boy against the police?
9. The fishermen, finding the dead body?
10. Tracking down the kidnapper, the clues with his job, his apartment, the money hidden, going to the site, his fleeing, the pursuit, his fall to his death?
11. The discovery of the motivation, the doctor and his involvement in the accident, the kidnapper getting revenge for the death of his sister?
12. An interesting case study, the motivation being more ordinary rather than sensational, the effect on the family, the role of the police investigation?
