The Man in Black

Another movie watched ahead of the "House of Hammer" podcast related to it. Another adaptation of a BBC radio series into a film. Another one where I come away a bit disappointed by the end product, despite it seeming like a decent premise.

With his health failing, Henry Clavering (Sid James) has turned to Yoga to ease his stresses. During a demonstration one night, a falling painting startles him, causing him seemingly to die. With Henry's inheritance falling to his daughter Joan (Hazel Penwarden), his scheming second wife Bertha (Betty Ann Davies) arrives at a plan to convince the fragile Joan that her mind his failing and that Bertha would be better placed to look after their affairs. Bertha's plan is complicated by the arrival of Victor (Anthony Forwood) fiancé of Bertha's daughter Janice (Sheila Burrell) who starts to wonder if the newly minted Joan might make a better bet.

I liked the performances in this one, particularly from what turns out to be the central double act of Bertha and Janice. They bicker back and forth, and the films funniest moment comes from them. The film is not meant to be funny though, despite Sid James presence. Smoking and murder are the order of the day here. This is probably the best-looking film we've seen from Hammer so far and, despite some incongruous music choices the audio recording is solid too.

But the story is too busy for me. I just want to see Bertha try and gaslight Joan and for "Hodson" to try and rescue her. Victor ends up coming in and setting up a side plot that just complicates matters and the film moves away from the focus it should have. Bertha's scheme seems to involve opening a door and moving a photograph, good early steps but more time should have been spent there trying to convince her of her failing faculties. Speaking of Hodson, there is a reveal involving him that I wonder if might have caught more people unaware in 1950, whereas to 2022 eyes it's apparent from the first moment you see him. I also don't really see what the "Man in Black" aspect added to it, other than presumably to capitalise on the popular radio series, as the film doesn't need a narrator and the way he's tied into this doesn't really make sense.

It's not the worst film I've watched for the podcast, but not the best either and the slow plot and obvious twist mean I don't think there's much for a 21st century audience.

Although on IMDb this is tagged as a horror movie as well as a thriller - it is not a horror film. It's a thriller, very film noir(ish). The seance might be the only real impression this a horror film. Sure there is a man speaking in a "spooky voice" in the beginning of it, a man simulating his own death through yoga, a woman seemingly going insane, ugly step-mom and step-sister trying to drive her mad but the film is a thriller... maybe with some over/under tones of horror.

I will have to agree this movie is similar to Gaslight (1944) It's sorta a rehash of it but with the mystery removed. Gaslight the better film but this one isn't all that bad.

This film helped Hammer to pave it's way into the horror genre and is worth a watch but not a film to go out of your way to find.

5/10

Great old-school psychological thriller. The story has some nice twists and turns, as well as some plot elements that are familiar, even for the time. It's a fun watch and the three leading ladies carry the show.

Stealing From Radio was a Common Occurrence in the Movies and Television.

This Early Hammer Studios Rendition of a Popular BBC Radio Series is Very Well Done with Excellent Costumes, Make-Up, Acting, and Sets.

The Studio seems to be Firing on All Cylinders with this Effort.

It is a Harbinger of the Style and Success that Hammer would be come Known for After its Break-Through in the Mid 50's.

The Acting is Above Average for this Type of Thing.

And the Snappy Script Keeps Things Hopping and the Two Females that "Gaslight" are Creepy and Loathsome.

Sidney James has a Dual Role.

The Ending is a one of Surprise.

But some may Find it was Telegraphed in the First-Act.

One of the Better of its Type. Worth a Watch to See Early Hammer at Work and for the Overall Production that is Above Average.

It's interesting to see Sid James play a straight (albeit brief) role for change in this simple little crime thriller. He is a wealthy chap with a rather venal second wife and step-daughter. His obsession with mysticism leads, one evening, to a risky experiment and it all goes wrong... We have no absence of potential culprits as his new family try to drive his daughter out of her mind so they can inherit his fortune. Betty Ann Davies is good as the scheming the wife, with Sheila Burrell likewise as her ghastly, grasping, daughter all manipulating poor old "Joan" (Hazel Penwarden) in a decently paced mystery. Sadly the ending is writ a bit large from fairly early on, and that makes it all sag a bit - maybe Francis Searle could have tightened it up by a quarter of an hour? It's still an enjoyable watch, though - with a slightly more sophisticated script (that may owe something to it's BBC radio heritage). It is rarely shown nowadays, but is worth seeing through if you encounter it.