Dusty Ermine

For a British film of this period it has a very fast pace, albeit mostly due to rear screen work. The performances, although a little theatrical, are very good for the time. Margaret Rutherford is particularly entertaining. I found the film thoroughly enjoyable, but then I like that kind of thing.

Ronald Squire is released from prison after a term for forgery. He is approached by some folks who include Margaret Rutherford (in her screen first credited role), who point out the profits, but he's already experienced the losses, so he turns them down. Instead they approach his nephew, Arthur Macrae, who has abandoned the legal profession of his ancestors for the unprofitable trade of painter. When forged notes start turning up, Squire is summoned by the police. He's innocent, but realizes who is responsible, so he takes Macrae's sister, Jane Baxter, on a trip to Switzerland to follow Macrae and urge him to the straight and narrow. There, they run into Scotland Yard investigator Anthony Bushell.

There are some lovely sequences shot in Switzerland and the Tyrol; producer Julius Hagen was trying to get out of the Quota Quickie trade into more profitable A pictures. This would prove to be a financial mistake as the market for A pictures in Britain were limited and his distributors cut off the American markets. In the meantime, director Bernard Vorhaus shot some nice pictures in the snow, including an exciting chase sequence, and the script provides a very clever ending. With Katie Johnson, Felix Aylmar, and Wally Patch.

A forget gets out of prison determined to go straight, however he's intercepted by a crime network.

I rather enjoyed this, it definitely develops well, and gains pace, the early stages are very slow, but stick with it, ultimately it really is rewarding.

The acting is very, very solid, ahead of its time, if like me you're here for Margaret Rutherford, you won't be disappointed, even if she perhaps isn't in it a huge deal, she is marvellous though, hard to believe she's 44 here. The acting in general is great.

It's very well made, with nice locations, it's very solid, and again defies its years. I love the style of it, it has bags of charm and appeal.

Funny, and enjoyable, 7/10.

Hi Folks, This is a great British film of 1936 with a good cast and story, the ending sequence will have you on the edge of your seats just like in the great tradition of 1930's serial cliffhangers, I found my self yelling at the screen 'for heaven's sake get down that mountain' not something I'm given to doing at films nowadays at 62 it's not something thats the thing to do... or is it, this film is great fun and the end chase down the ski slopes is a real cliffhanger, it took me back to Saturday morning kids matinée's during the 1950's, if you enjoy old cinema serials enjoy this film, if you've never seen this type film then watch and enjoy and see what you missed, also worth watching for the technology of the time, which in no way decreases the pace, great entertainment.

The title might actually have been explained in Neil Grant's original play, which sadly seems typical of the inattention to mundane details which pushed producer Julius Hagen into bankruptcy within a year of this film's release. Hagen seems actually to have splashed out on sending to the Austrian Alps leads Anthony Bushell, the delightful Jane Baxter (whom I saw in the flesh along with director Bernard Vorhaus at a screening of this film on the South Bank in 1986) and writer/actor Arthur Macrae for the James Bond-style finale.

The cast also includes slightly younger versions than we are accustomed to of Ronald Squire before he grew his moustache (the film ends with a wonderful gag reminding us of his resourcefulness as a forger), Katie Johnson (nearly twenty years before 'The Ladykillers'), and Margaret Rutherford making a priceless film debut as a master criminal (a role not in the original play).