The Preview Murder Mystery (1936)

A new film has been completed but some kind of maniac is killing off the cast and crew one by one.

Neil Du Beck (Rod La Rocque) is the leading man for a new film but he has been receiving death threats, when he is killed during a preview showing of the film the police realise it isn't just a crank. 

The publicity officer of the studio, Johnny Morgan (Reginald Denny) decides to help the police out (of course!) especially when the studio is locked down after more attacks and deaths. Who is the culprit? Suspicion falls on a most unexpected name...

This is a very enjoyable film, a crime romp set literally behind the scenes at a movie studio. It has the usual tropes of a crime film of the period, plenty of red herrings and tangents, and of course an enthusiastic amateur helping out the police!

Dangerous Afternoon (1961)

A genteel situation with deadly crime bubbling under the tea cosies.

Miss Frost (Ruth Dunning) runs a boarding house for elderly ladies in a leafy suburb. However, behind the afternoon tea and games of patience is a secret: Frost and all of her boarders are ex-cons! Caldwell indeed is a notorious jewel thief who is still on the run after escaping prison! Frost's "niece" Freda (Joanna Dunham) is due to marry, though Frost still can't tell the girl she is really her daughter. 

Meanwhile an ex-fellow con (Gwenda Wilson) arrives at the home and threatens to shop Frost and ruin her cosy little set-up, a deadly mistake to make...

A great little film, a real period piece of Britain as the 1960s begins and before the great changes to come. A gentle film with a hint of menace not far below the surface and very enjoyable.

Blood Orange (1953)

A competent enough crime drama though very much by the numbers.

Tom Conway is a private detective (and yes his character name is also Tom Conway) is employed to investigate the theft of jewels in the fashion industry. 

Eventually, Conway is removed from the case but the death of a woman who said she had information for him keeps him interested, though that isn't the only death and the red herrings come thick and fast.

It isn't a bad film but a bit tired and lack lustre, a bit like Britain in the post-war period really. Tom Conway has played a similar role to this many times and does pretty well with it - his presence and charm being the highlight of the film - as you would expect!

Lady Luck (1936)

A pleasing little crime drama with a light, often comedic, touch.

Mamie Murphy (Patricia Farr) wants to get out of her job as a manicurist, she wants wealth and fame, especially if she can become a movie star. She spurns the advances of newspaperman Dave Haines (William Bakewell) as he is too poor, suave Jack Conroy (Jameson Thomas) is more to her taste, unfortunately for Mamie he is secretly broke!

Mamie wins a sweepstake and is suddenly of interest to Conroy as he sniffs money. The problem for Mamie is that it is another Mamie Murphy (Lulu McConnell) who has won the money, though they come up with a scheme where the other Mamie keeps the money and she keeps the fame and notoriety. Unfortunately for their scheme, Conroy is found dead and Mamie is holding the gun that killed him!

A nice little film with a good engaging plot, and no shortage of humour at times.

A Night for Crime (1943)

A very familiar kind of film containing a lot of themes and tropes you'll have already seen in dozens of other movies, and usually a lot better.

It is war time and there are a number of black outs, the perfect time for crimes to be committed! Perky reporter Susan Cooper (Glenda Farrell) investigates the murder of a young actress. A bigger star has also gone missing. Susan investigates these crimes with the help of movie publicity man Joe (Lyle Talbot), though the police think Susan and Joe did it (of course!)

A familiar film, a number of crimes and fast moving storyline and sassy dialogue. Unfortunately the film isn't that good, it goes a little too far with the familiar tropes. The "dumb" police detective (Ralph Sanford) in this film is reduced to a ridiculous caricature and one joke character that isn't funny the first time, even less so the twentieth. It has a little charm but is a bit too silly to enjoy that much.

The Sword and the Dragon (1956)

An epic Russian film involving many swords and dragons.

Ilya Muromets (Boris Andreyev) is a great warrior, but unfortunately he had lost the use of his legs and therefore he can't stop the ravaging Tugar hoards from setting his village on fire and taking off pillage in the form of the village's women, including his sweetheart. 

After Ilya helps some travellers out, they give him some special medicine which restores the use of his legs. Ilya heads off in search of battle with the Tugars to prove himself to the Tsar. Unfortunately, the Tugars have fire-breathing dragons in their armoury...

The first Soviet film recorded in CinemaScope and multi-track stereo and this adds to the splendour of this film which is based on a famous Russian epic story, with plenty of Soviet propaganda added of course. 

An epic film made at a time of epic films and it certainly is not disgraced by it's Hollywood rivals. A fun watch, the story can be nonsense at times but the grand scale is very compelling.

Inspector Hornleigh (1939)

The first of three Inspector Hornleigh films, in this first one Hornleigh and Bingham investigate the theft of the Chancellor's brief case!

Hornleigh (Gordon Harker) is called upon to investigate the murder of a lodger, the only clue being a man was seen leaving the premises with a suitcase. Bingham (Alastair Sim) in his own bumbling way finds the suitcase in the river, it is what inside the suitcase that really surprises... the Chancellor of the Exchequer's red briefcase! 

Hornleigh and Bingham begin to uncover a plot involving big debts, government secrets and murder...

An enjoyable film, the plot is a bit slow but it is well structured and the film has enough banter and humour between the two detectives to keep things moving.