THE CASE OF THE FRIGHTENED LADY
UK, 1940, 75 minutes, Black and white.
Marius Goring, Penelope Dudley- Ward, Helen Haye, Felix Aylmer, George Merritt, Ronald Shiner, Patrick Barr, Roy Emerton, Torin Thatcher.
Directed by George King.
The film is based on a popular story by Edgar Wallace (later versions in German, in Italian, and a 1980s version with Virginia McKenna).
The setting is a British country estate, in need of repair, with an architect visiting to supervise plans. The lady of the manor is a haughty woman played by Helen Haye. Her son, Lord Lebanon on, is played by young Marius Goring. There is a sinister atmosphere because of two of the servants, often seen in cahoots, frightening lady Lebanon on is secretary, played by Penelope Dudley-Ward?.
There is also a seemingly sinister doctor, played by Felix Aylmer, who has served in India and seems to have been involved in shady behaviour there. 11 on the driver also served in India and is hostile to the doctor. After a local dance where the driver has paid attention to the wife of a local farmer and intends to leave with her, the driver is found murdered, strangled by expensive Indian scarf.
Scotland Yard is called into the case, embodied by a rather large but serious officer played by George Merritt who is assisted by Ronald Shiner in one of those assistant roles, always making mistakes and rushing to judgement, popular in American films such as those of The St and The Falcon.
There are many suspects. Lord Levin on also goes to Scotland Yard to give some information. The farmer, aggressive towards his wife, is interrogated. The Dr is followed but is also found strangled.
In the meantime, the secretary has caught the attention of the architect although Lady Levin on wants her to marry her son and produce tears. The son, however, Ward is the Sec about marrying him.
Lord Lebanon on is an artistic type, musical composition, not interested in marriage – a seemingly gay man in the context of 1940.
The film is quite interesting, well acted by a range of British character actors, Helen Haye particularly strong and haughty. A sealed up room is revealed, mysterious corridors, a story about lady Levin dons husband and his madness.
And, with a shadow on the wall silhouetted, with a scarf, approaching the secretary, there is, perhaps, an unexpected twist. It is a question of madness in the family – culminating in a suicide.
