Post by rmichaelpyle on Oct 16, 2009 6:30:40 GMT -6
In the 1920s Edgar Wallace may have been the most popular writer writing in English. More movies have been made from his books than any other writer, nearly 160. Last night I wanted to watch films made from his work, so I watched two, one I'd never seen and another I watched about two years ago and really enjoyed. The first was a new one for me, "Murder on Diamond Row" (1937), the American release of a British film which originally went under the title "The Squeaker", and which stars Edmund Lowe, a very young Ann Todd (!), a wonderful Alastair Sim, young Robert Newton, Sebastian Shaw, Tamara Desni (absolutely drop dead gorgeous!! - and I've never heard of her), Allan Jeayes, and several others. This one concerns a white collar businessman who is a very sophisticated fence of stolen goods also, and besides his criminal activities with stolen goods squeals on his goons who steal for him and has them put in prison, and he murders besides. No one ever sees his face, so no one knows what he looks like. Suddenly, some one does. Then enter Edmund Lowe, an alcoholic former Scotland Yard detective. This is really great fun, and it builds and builds and builds until a rousing climax. The ending by today's standards may seem ridiculous, but it must have packed a real punch in 1937. I won't tell the ending, but I highly recommend this. It's extremely well done, and Edmund Lowe is super as the sleuth.
After I watched that film, I put in "The Gaunt Stranger" (1938), a very British film starring Sonnie Hale (who nearly steals the show in a secondary role), Wilfrid Lawson, Louise Henry, Alexander Knox (who does simply steal the show!), John Longden, Patrick Barr (ostensibly the star), Peter Croft, Patricia Roc, and several others. I watch a lot of early British films, and so I know these stars where most Americans wouldn't anymore, but one thing is still the same in Britain. There's a sense of sharing roles and a sense of a lack of stardom that seems to go with many British film personalities, and these in this film are of this ilk, where they are/were content to let the story carry all, and the people be damned! A great commaraderie piece. This one is a mystery concerning a person who is known as "The Ringer", one who can ring himself with disguises and do his dirty deeds. The ending is simply a WOW, and I will let all know that The Ringer gets away! Again!! Astonishing finish to a very, very well done film which should be much better known. It's very much worth while seeking out. Highly, highly recommended. There are parts which will seem out of date to many viewers today, but even the off handed comedy of Sonnie Hale is really very good. It has an edge on it that makes it great.
I had a good evening, and finally, after several days of ill sleeping, I had a good night's sleep!
After I watched that film, I put in "The Gaunt Stranger" (1938), a very British film starring Sonnie Hale (who nearly steals the show in a secondary role), Wilfrid Lawson, Louise Henry, Alexander Knox (who does simply steal the show!), John Longden, Patrick Barr (ostensibly the star), Peter Croft, Patricia Roc, and several others. I watch a lot of early British films, and so I know these stars where most Americans wouldn't anymore, but one thing is still the same in Britain. There's a sense of sharing roles and a sense of a lack of stardom that seems to go with many British film personalities, and these in this film are of this ilk, where they are/were content to let the story carry all, and the people be damned! A great commaraderie piece. This one is a mystery concerning a person who is known as "The Ringer", one who can ring himself with disguises and do his dirty deeds. The ending is simply a WOW, and I will let all know that The Ringer gets away! Again!! Astonishing finish to a very, very well done film which should be much better known. It's very much worth while seeking out. Highly, highly recommended. There are parts which will seem out of date to many viewers today, but even the off handed comedy of Sonnie Hale is really very good. It has an edge on it that makes it great.
I had a good evening, and finally, after several days of ill sleeping, I had a good night's sleep!
