HOUR OF DECISION
UK, 1957, 81 minutes, Black and white.
Jeff Morrow, Hazel Court, Anthony Dawson, Lionel Jeffries, Marne Maitland, Arthur Lowe.
Directed by C.M.Pennington- Richards.
The British supporting feature from the 1950s, a murder mystery. One of the main interests is to see a number of British character actors in the supporting cast, a strong presence by Lionel Jeffries as a nightclub owner, Marne Maitland as a waiter, and distinctly serious Arthur Lowe as a calligraphy expert. Anthony Dawson, the murderer in Dial M for Murder, is a gossip columnist who is killed here. The hero is played by American actor Jeff Morrow, an investigative journalist, Hazel Court plays his wife, suspect for the murder.
Plenty of suspects, interrogated by the police and by the journalist, and finally assembled in the club for a re-enactment of the events of the night of the murder.
1. Supporting feature murder mystery and investigation? London in the mid-1950s?
2. The atmosphere of the nightclub, the interiors, the customers, Gary Bax, columnist with his table, interviewing the customers, wanting information, touches of scandal? His collapse and death?
3. The suspects? His ex-wife and her boyfriend, the young model and her fiance with his military background, the British businessman, his American partner, the wife? The mysterious woman, not seen, her bracelet? The later re-enactment and recreation of the situation?
4. Peggy, revealed as the woman, her indiscreet letters, going to the apartment, having a key, searching? The servant and his seeing her coat? Failing to get the letters?
5. Peggy, recently married to Joe, his American background, journalist, her full story, telling him the truth? His investigation? Friendship with the police inspector, collaboration?
6. The newspaper, the announcement of the death, the photo of the woman with the bracelet? Nobody knowing her?
7. Joe, his interview with the dead man’s former wife, aspects of the will and property, her being neurotic, in the clinic, her pills? Going to see her fiance, his drinking, surliness? Jo
discovering him dead? The encounter with the American, the photos, the chat? The British businessman, his wife? Going to see the model? Confronting her fiance?
8. The police, the photos, Joe and his keeping his counsel, getting the photo from the dead man’s flat?
9. The detection, the interview with the owner of the club, his personality, information, the waiter and his giving details about the photos? The barman?
10. The reconstruction, Joe and his suspicions, the businessman, the revelation of his being blackmailed in the murder, Joe indicating how the poison was transferred by the businessman?
The solution?
