Double Confession

DOUBLE CONFESSION is a once-lost British slice of film noir, filmed in the coastal resort of Bexhill-on-Sea. The film itself is only partially successful, featuring a very bland and undistinguished leading man in Derek Farr, and is also quite badly written with lots of extraneous sub-plots to pad out the running time. But it also has one of the most wonderful casts in a film from this era.

The general vibe here is BRIGHTON ROCK, although there's also a murder mystery aspect to the story as Farr attempts to solve a dual murder: that of his wife, and another chap who happened to fall from a cliff at virtually the same time. Sadly the premise is confusing, mainly because the second cliff-top murder isn't actually shown, and things don't become clear until the very end. The female cast also fare badly, engaged in bland sub-plots that merely slow the pacing down.

Still, there are some good set-pieces here and there, not least an attack by speedboat that bears some stylistic similarities to the famous crop-duster attack in NORTH BY NORTHWEST - maybe Hitch got inspiration from this? The rousing climax is also worth waiting for, but the main reason to watch this is the supporting cast which is absolutely packed with familiar faces. William Hartnell and Peter Lorre make a fine tag-team as the villains, but that's only the start. There's Ronald Howard as a journalist, George Woodbridge as a copper, Leslie Dwyer as a random guy enjoying himself at the beach, and the wonderful comic actor Naunton Wayne (THE LADY VANISHES) as the investigating detective. There are also bit parts for future faces like CARRY ON actors Peter Butterworth and Esma Cannon. All in all a great collection of names which makes DOUBLE CONFESSION well worth a watch.

This is quite a decent, complex, little British crime drama with Derek Farr as "Jim Medway" who turns up at an English seaside resort whereupon, shortly afterwards, his wife is found murdered in the "White Cottage". The police investigation is soon focussed on him, so he tries to fit up local bigwig "Charlie Durham" (William Hartnell) with whom he has certain history, and finds he has bitten off a bit more than he was expecting to chew. It's a superior first effort from Ken Annakin that capitalises on the quirky novel from John Garden and some solid performances on screen - including an on-form Peter Lorre as Hartnell's slightly bonkers sidekick and local journo "Hilary Boscombe" (Ronald Howard) that keeps the pot boiling well for 80 minutes. Rarely seen nowadays, but worth a watch if you like your mysteries with a little more meat on the bone.

Graham Greene's "Brighton Rock" seems to have been the inspiration for this intriguing but not very coherent suspense story about murder and sundry underworld goings-on at a seaside resort. The narrative gets stuck somewhere between conventional English murder mystery and American-style noir and just never loosens up, and the sight of all those British holiday-makers lounging around on the beach in long dresses and tweed suits just sums up the ludicrous uptightness that plagues the whole concept. Peter Lorre is brought in to jazz up the proceedings in a rather daring role as a henchman who clearly appears to be carrying a torch for his villainous (male) employer.

Another from the list The Best British Noirs of All Time that I wasn't crazy about.

Derek Farr stars as a man, Medway, who travels to see his wife who is staying in a place called The White Cottage.

When he arrives, he sees a man leaving, so he hides. The next day she is found dead, as is another man.

Farr visits his wife's lover (William Hartnell) and informs him that he, Medway, killed his wife but plans to tell the police that he did it.

Peter Lorre plays Hartnell's sidekick, who will do anything to help his boss.

To be honest I lost interest. And I admit I became a little confused.

There are better lists than the one I have used to watch these films. Disappointing.

Derek Farr gets off the train at the seaside resort and starts down the cliff, directed by lobsterman Edward Rigby. The next morning, he's wandering around, running into Joan Hopkins, and threatening old friend and local restaurant magnate William Hartnell with telling the police that he killed his wife at that house. Hartnell denies it, but fears the scandal will ruin him and make his wife and two sons miserable. Peter Lorre, whom Hartnell saved from death, and who now is doglike in his devotion, suggests that he will kill Farr for him. Something is worrying Miss Hopkins. Not only is Farr's wife dead, but so is Rigby. Inspector Naunton Wayne has to figure out what happened.

It's always dark days at seaside fun fairs in England, isn't it? It's a black, tangled mare's nest for the characters and audience to puzzle over, and a grand cast of character actors, including Kathleen Harrison, Leslie Dwyer, and Peter Butterworth. Everyone has something to hide, everyone has something to regret, and if this is in no way a fun movie, it certainly is one that holds your attention.