The Riverside Murder

A good cast act badly in this parodic quota quickie in which three people are murdered yet never engages the interest - except possibly exasperation that nobody ever throttles the infuriating blonde reporter Judy Gunn is saddled with playing. Her final scene with detective Basil Sydney is so contrived you'll want to throw things at the screen.

The direction and photography are okay.

Well, you've had two US reviews for this TOTALLY British "QQ" film, so here is my take UK on it.

If you want to be whisked back to a darkened, smoky, smelly, flea-pit pre-war cinema, watching a second feature 'B' movie then this is ideal!!

Plot is quite good and offers a reasonable ending although you will need to make up your own 'red-herrings' as they are thin on the ground, so that when "all" is explained you sit there thinking but...............

The only reason my wife and I wanted to watch this is for Alastair Sim. (I'm doing a personal 'season' of his films at the moment and have just finished reading his bio.) He is the undoubted (debut?) star and about the only person in the film who you could say knew how to act. A couple of the bit part actors were quite good BUT Basil Sydney………oh, dear. That stilted delivery, AND those long pauses were verging on comical. I really am surprised that he went on to be in other films right up into the late 60s shortly before he died, whereas Judy Gunn only carried on in films for another two years. She certainly out-acted Basil Sydney.

Yes, quaint.

Someone gets shot right at the very beginning of the picture! And for the rest of the film, the coppers try to find the method and the killer. The victim was involved in an agreement which may be related to the murder. Many suspects. Also a meddling reporter. The very first role for the tall, thin, eerie alastair sim (from christmas carol). He's only 35 here, so he's not very old or creepy yet. But has a whole lot of lines, for a first role! It's pretty good. Everyone has an alibi, and we're not really sure who to believe. Some scenes are quite predictable. SO much talking. It feels like this one started out as a play. It's pretty good. Even if the resolution was kind of a last minute creation. Although the murderer really could have been anyone they chose, when we have reached the end. The story was kind of cheesy, but a fun one to watch. Directed by al parker. He started in the silent films, but this is the first film of his I had seen.

THE RIVERSIDE MURDER opens with a murder committed by an unknown assailant. Inspector Philip Winton (Basil Sydney) and Sgt. Mac McKay (Alister Sim) are quickly on the case, questioning witnesses and running down clues.

There's also an ambitious reporter named Claire Haines (Judy Gunn) who is interested in getting the scoop.

There's a growing list of suspects, all standing to gain financially from the victim.

If that's not enough, more murders occur! Complicating matters, Winton only has a small timeframe in which to solve the crimes.

This is a very enjoyable crime drama / mystery with a satisfying conclusion...

This a Standard quota quickie with all the usual clichés.Basil Sydney,for once playing a detective,has to find a serial murderer,with the help of the comedy sidekick,played as so often,by Alistair Sim,and hindered by a female reporter.Now as is often the case,there is a totally unlikely plot contrivance which makes it impossible to work out who is the killer.Reasonable of its type.