No Trace

Robert Southley (Hugh Sinclair) is a crime writer who wrote a book called No Trace. He finds himself blackmailed repeatedly by an old accomplice called Fenton who is fresh out of jail.

Southley was a bad boy is his past but he is in no mood to pay again. So he buys a disguise and kills Fenton.

Southley ends up teaming with the police to investigate the murder. It is his secretary Linda (Dinah Sheridan) assisted by her husband John (Barry Morse) who dislikes Southley who end up investigating him.

Given that we know Southley is a killer. This does end up giving a Colombo feel to it. Southley is charmless, cold and aloof. Even more so when he is hanging about with the police.

So you feel little sympathy for Southley who also seems to be careless, something Fenton mentioned before he got bumped off.

There is a good cast in No Trace but his is a flatly made cheap B picture. It lacks excitement but the cast make it worthwhile.

"No Trace" from 1950 is about a mystery novelist (Hugh Sinclair) who finds himself being blackmailed about his past and murders the blackmailer. His secretary (Dinah Sheridan) sets out to solve the mystery of the man's murder.

I love these English B mysteries. It was fun to see The Fugitive's Barry Morse here as a young investigator and speaking with a British accent - he didn't on his most famous role, Lt. Gerard on The Fugitive.

My only problem with this film is I don't understand how the Sheridan character felt any affection for her boss, a cold, arrogant man.

A nice neat little thriller that moves well and is worth adding to any collection of British films.

Apart from the classic "Genevieve",there are too few DVD's featuring the gorgeous Dinah Sheridan.

She outshines all the other actors but that's fine by me ; here was one of the true beauties of the British screen who would most certainly have made it in Hollywood and she could act too.

Founded in 1948, Berman & Baker's Tempean Films got off to a flying start with this splendid little thriller which resembles an episode of 'Columbo', with secretary Dinah Sheridan as the killer's nemesis; although the police themselves (in the person of John Laurie & Barry Morse) are permitted to display more competence than usual.

As in an episode of 'Columbo', anti-hero Robert Southley (the "distinguished crime novelist") is too arrogant and condescending for his own good, and there is plenty of barbed dialogue to go around.

Ernest Butcher has a brief but memorable cameo as the neighbour who innocently blunders in, and exits blustering "No harm done"!

Recommended.

Above average (I voted 7/10) British crime thriller from 1950.The Secretary in question is Dinah Sheridan who seems more intelligent than her boss (Hugh Sinclair), an ex-actor, ex-robber with a shady past now crime writer trying to bury his past by producing successful novels.In accordance with IMDb.com policy I won't give away the plot and thus spoil future viewers enjoyment of this film.Incidentally, I have never seen this film on DVD nor for sale commercially but the good news for readers is that it is shown on the wonderful youtube.com, so come on readers, let us have a few more comments than mine and those above, I would be interested to hear other opinions.

As I am 65 and therefore was 4 in 1950, I have a vague memory of the stylish gull winged Triumph sports car that Hugh Sinclair drove around in the film.As stated in another of my reviews, it is a pleasure for me to see film characters driving around London AND PARKING! where they please, with hardly any other competing motorists or eagle eyed, intimidating traffic wardens.More disturbing is the frequency with which early post war film actors/actresses light up cigarettes (made a man/woman of you!).I noticed Hugh Sinclair only lived to 58 and if he smoked in real life like his stage persona, it does not surprise me.It was unlikely a Scotland Yard detective, (played by "Dads Army" stalwart John Lawrie) would invite a crime thriller writer along for the ride to help him solve the case.The direction/writing is in the safe hands of Robert S Baker/Monty Berman partnership.