THE BRIGHTON STRANGLER
US, 1945, 67 minutes, Black and white.
John Loder, June Duprez, Miles Mander, Rose Hobart.
Directed by Max Nosseck.
The Brighton Strangler is a small RKO programmer made at the end of the war but focusing on London during the war and the air raids.
It is a murder thriller, has an ingenious plot twist which was later used for A Double Life in 1947 where Ronald Colman won his Oscar for best actor in a similar kind of role. A very successful actor is tired of playing his role as the Boston Strangler and is about to finish the season, and get married to the playwright. However, he is injured in an air raid and loses his memory. However, he has the props from the play in his pocket including the rope and a ticket for Victoria Station luggage. He then assumes that he is the character from the play. He goes to Canterbury to meet his fiancée but meets an attractive young woman on the train, helps her with her military husband. However, he begins to repeat the scenario of the play, killing the mayor, killing the police chief. The film builds up to a dramatic climax where he repeats the final scene of the play with the young woman on the roof of a hotel in London.
The film is well written, well acted – and, although the plot device is more familiar now, it still has quite a strong resonance.
The film was directed by German-born Max Nosseck who made a number of films in the US during the 1940s and 50s.
1.An entertaining short programmer film?
2.Black and white photography, the American sets, the London setting, Canterbury? Authentic feel? Atmospheric score? The black and white photography and its light and shadows?
3.London, the blitz, theatres, military activity? The trains? Police investigations? Life in a provincial town? Authentic atmosphere?
4.Reginald Parker, the opening with the performance of the play, the murder? The curtain call? His wanting to leave the show? Its success? His relationship with Dorothy, her writing a new play for him? The engagement? The theatre manager? The coupons for Dorothy’s wedding dress? The phone call and cut off? His being caught in the raid? The injuries? Presumed dead, Dorothy not being able to identify the body?
5.Reginald and his bewilderment, the amnesia, finding the rope, the ticket? Assuming that he was Edward Grey from the play? Going to Victoria, buying the ticket, going to Canterbury, the memories of the play rather than his real life? The discussions with April on the train, her help with his amnesia? His helping her with her husband? Deceiving her parents?
6.Edward Grey in Canterbury, being invited to April’s house, meeting her parents, meeting the mayor? His killing the mayor and repeating the lines from the play? His later discussions with the police chief and murdering him according to the play? The irony of the blind man coming into the room to get some recordings and not realising the police chief was dead?
7.Reginald/Edward and his bewilderment? Remembering the play? Puzzled about what he had done? His helping April? Meeting Bob at the station? His nightmare and speaking and Bob’s suspicions? His taking April to the concert, going out to murder the police chief? Meeting April again? Going to London with her? The repetition of the final part of the play? The police pursuing, Dorothy, suggesting they applaud him rather than shoot him and his response to the applause? April’s safety? His falling from the building?
8.The background of April’s family, Bob and April and their relationship? The police and the investigations? The finale?
