THE FOUR JUST MEN

1939, 85 minutes, Black-and-white.
Hugh Sinclair, Griffith Jones, Francis L.Sullivan, Frank Lawton, Anna Lee, Alan Napier, Basil Sydney, Lydia Sherwood, Edward Chapman.
Directed by Walter Forde.

The Four Just Men are veterans of World War I, patriots, who combine their skills, and together to investigate crimes and bring criminals to justice. They are a secret for.

The film is based on a 1905 novel by Edgar Wallace, updated to 1938. It has a tense opening with two men about to be executed by the Nazis in Regensburg and one of them rescued by a German officer – one of the Four impersonating the officer. The audience is introduced to the four, a leader who has a capacity for impersonation, the man who was rescued from prison and has a terminal health condition, a French patriot who has the cover of a fashionable dress business, the other a playwright.

The situation they are investigating concerns the leaking of information by parliamentarian – in fact, through his wife’s, to a contact played by Basil Sydney, who kills her. She is able to be identified by an eager journalist, played enthusiastically by Anna Lee, who has also met some of the Just Men unknowingly. Part of the plot is for a traitor parliamentarian to make a speech, urging against rearmament. However, the Just Men intercept him, killing him, and the leader with talent for impersonation made up and going into the parliament and retracting the anti-rearmament stands.

It is interesting to Francis L.Sullivan having a central role and being far more sympathetic than in his usual roles. Griffith Jones is the suave member of the Four.

1. Political thriller? The context of 1938? Nazis? British stances, peace, appeasement, rearmament?

2. Based on an Edgar Wallace story, written in 1905, updated? The interest in espionage? The interested in journalism and newspapers?

3. The London setting, the details of the city, homes, offices, railway stations? The streets? The parliament? The musical score?

4. The tone of the opening, the executions in Regensburg, 1938, the picture of German severity, the two men in prison, tapping for information, the Commandant, demanding, the execution? The arrival of the authority, Terry being saved? Hampshire impersonating the officer, the escape, the meal? The information?

5. The title of the film, the action in World War I, the British, the French contribution? The introduction, their personalities, their covers? The Frenchman and his fashion shop? Brodie and his theatre writing? Terry and his travels, given six months to live? Hampshire, his ability to impersonate people?

6. The information about their cases, achieving justice, their methods, secrecy, the use of violence, even death?

7. Newspaper background, women journalists, Ann, her eagerness, the attitude of the editor? Information about the Four Just Men, the reporter and his insisting they were Russian? His mission, not finding out anything?

8. Ann going to the fashion show, encountering the Leon, meeting Brodie? The clothes, the perfume? Myra Hastings and the fur? The next day, encountering the men in the car? Seeing Myra Hastings? On the reporter’s job, getting the information, phoning through the story?

9. The Just Men, Terry abroad, his phone call with the information, the line being cut, his returning to England, the encounter with Frank Snell and the suitcase, the poison, his going to the apartment, the encounter with Ann? The map? Shooting Snell? His death?

10. Brodie, following Myra Hastings, her visit with Snell, the documents, her fears, his pushing her down the lift shaft? The police, Ann identifying Myra Hastings because of the fur and perfume?

11. Leon going to the rally, Sir Hamar Ryman and his speech, Frank Snell present, wanting to warn, the note, bring it to the stage, the pickpocket and Leon, his giving him the money to steal the note and return it? The rendezvous address?

12. The foreign power, the traitors, seeking the note and the Suez Canal, blowing up oil fields, bringing down the Empire?

13. Ann, her being locked in the cupboard by Brodie? The sparring and yet the attraction?

14. Sir Hamar Ryman, meticulous, his bath, timetable? The expose in the papers about the Four Just Men? His decision to go to the parliament? Humphrey, his impersonations, the killing of Ryman, his make-up, the speech in the parliament, the confirmation of his information?

15. The ending, the presentation of Hitler and the Nazis, the opening of World War II – and the added ending for the US, to get their support for the war?