Der Täter fährt nach Norden

John Mills plays Mr. Denning, who owns Denning Aircraft. Lately he has been distracted, bad tempered, sleepwalking, and drinking more than usual. He finally tells his wife (Phyllis Calvert) why.

When he went to confront his daughter's ne'er do well boyfriend Medos (Herbert Lom), he punches him - the man crashes his head on the fireplace and dies.

Panicked and afraid for repercussions for his daughter, Denning packs Medos' clothes, throws the body in his car, drives to a secluded location, fakes an accident, and hides the body nearby.

Time passes, but nothing is ever reported about the body. Normally, as it would decompose, this would be a good thing.

Alas, not in the obsessive hands of Denning, who manages, by his interference, to get his daughter's new boyfriend (Sam Wanamaker) involved.

One twist after another. If it had been brilliantly directed, it would have been better. As it was, it still was absorbing and entertaining.

At the end of the film, with the daughter talking so fast, I, who worked as a professional transcriber for years, couldn't understand what she said after repeated listenings. Ditto what she said to her father about Medos. Both of which I wanted to know. Maybe someone can enlighten me.

Well I stayed and watched this film unfold. Charming period drama albeit a bit too clever and today such racial stereotypes would not be tolerated. However as it was 1951 we can forgive the essential prejudice that is necessary for the plot to remain plausible. I liked it and will watch again. A very fine film that has aged better than many. I liked the many actors in this that went on to become regular names in films and TV. Take bow all of you. It was an amazing watch and great twist at the very end that made me smile. A fine denouement. No idea why this bombed in the UK it was good enough and better than so much out there at the time. Do watch this. But park your sense of justice and go with out all.

This is a well crafted story with many a twist. A lot of b movies were made in this era but would surely have made an excellent main feature with plenty to talk about after. Well worth a watch.

Don't be taken in by the nondescript title, behind it lies a highly offbeat drama adapted from his own novel by the man who collaborated on the screenplay of 'Vertigo'.

When as a teenager I first read the plot précis in Gifford's 'Catalogue of British Films' I watched it wondering if he was kidding. He wasn't, and straight from the spoken credits, immediately followed by a bizarre dream sequence inhabited by people from his waking life we were plunged into a story surprisingly similar to Chabrol's 'La Femme Infidele', which had a similarly perverse but satisfying outcome with the hero, his wife and daughter bonded by the secret they now share.

John Mills stars in this excellent suspense picture, very reminiscent of Hitchcock, infact, you'd think it was Alfred directing this, it features some of his trademarks!

John Mills is excellent, as is the entire cast.

The screenplay in parts is a little disappointing but overall the picture works. I quite enjoyed the finale, classic stuff!

Check this film out!