Murder in Soho

This is an odd mix of British crime drama and American gangster film that is a bit too slow, even at 70 minutes.

The plot has to do with a nightclub in London that's run by an American gangster. Through the doors come an assortment of quirky characters. Marco, the gangster, is running a variety of rackets on the side which the police suspect but can't prove. While people party out side Marco kills someone in his office, just as an inspector, arrives to nose around.

If that sounds exciting, it really isn't. This is a good idea, not very well handled since much of the film is taken up by scenes in the club with the various people coming having a good time. There's romance, lots of humor and some nice acting but the film has the feel of one of the quota films that were produced in England in the 1930's and 40's as a way of keeping the British film industry alive. While this produced many classics, it also produced many duds and near misses. This is a near miss.

If you see it and you don't mind a too slowly paced film, then by all means, but anyone looking for a movie that moves best look elsewhere.

Jack la rue is steve marco, owner of the cotton club in london. Just as someone gets murdered in his club, the coppers show up. Although the questioning goes like a sketch from the three stooges. Lots of drinking, partying. The picture quality on the version I saw is just terrible. Various scenes are all faded, blurred, and washed out white. The sound is passable, but not great. It's a lot of work to get through this one, with the so-so story, something about gangsters, vaudeville acts, missing pearls. The shady acting, and the snap, crackle, and pops. The only notable thing here is bernard lee, who will play "m" in the bond films twenty years later. Directed by brit norman lee, for associated british pictures. Not likely to be restored, so skip this one.

Yet another British crime film presenting Soho as synonymous with glamour and vice, this particular variation on the theme being plush but garrulous.

As usual the supporting cast provides such compensations as Googie Withers cast against type as a dizzy blonde and a young, moustacheless Arthur O'Connell billed eighth as a half-witted gunsel called 'Lefty'. (O'Connell was appearing in the West End in 'Golden Boy' at the time, hence his unexpected presence in a pre-war British quickie.)

A dreadfully boring, dull and lifeless "crime" film that was originally released in the UK as MURDER IN SOHO in 1939 and then released in the States as MURDER IN THE NIGHT in 1940. I watched this last night and even at about only 70 minutes, the film dragged and nearly had me nodding off a couple of times. The film stars Jack La Rue as this big time night club owner and "criminal" who wants only things that the finer parts of life can offer. La Rue actually comes off as likable and is hard to take seriously as a gangster. As a matter of fact, if you look quickly at him from time to time, he resembles Ricky Ricardo! Sandra Storme gives a horrid performance as the new night club act who's help is requested by Scotland Yard to help put an end to La Rue's "criminal reign". A total of four gunshots are fired in the film and there is absolutely no action. Instead you get nearly 70 minutes of hokey dialogue, song and dance and terrible stabs at comedic relief. All in all, a pretty awful movie.

A Soho Night club run by American gangster Steve Marco, is a thriving hotspot for the young and fabulous, but it's also the scene of a murder, a man threatens to expose the owner's dodgy past, and gets killed for his troubles.

It's actually a pretty solid film, the story isn't bad at all, it's interesting enough, even if it is one you've seen several times before.

It's nicely shot, and pretty well paced, it is quite dialogue heavy in parts, but it still moves about pretty well.

Watch it because you love the era, the opulent decadence of it, expect glitzy sets and incredible fashions, an era where people clearly knew what style and sophistication was.

The casting was good, it's a very competent, glamorous cast, Jack La Rue is good as the villain of the piece, rugged and roguish, he definitely had presence.

Sandra Storme and the wonderful Google Withers both played their parts very well.

6/10.