The Last Curtain

THE LAST CURTAIN is a British quota thriller that was shot at Pinewood Studios, so it has a better standing (and budget) than rival films shot at Twickenham. It has a more complex plot than the regular quota quickies of the era and a greater cast of characters, most of whom seem to be working against each other.

The film has two central locations that happen to be in buildings opposite each other on the street. The first is a patisserie that acts as a front for a criminal gang of jewellery robbers. The second is a theatre presided over by an incredibly pompous actor who just so happens to be a fence for the criminals. Into this setting comes two newcomers, a man fresh from prison looking for a new start, and a young actress from the provinces with dreams of stardom.

What I liked about THE LAST CURTAIN is that it remains difficult to predict what will happen throughout. Each character seems to be scheming and there's a genuinely dangerous undercurrent to the proceedings which makes it pretty suspenseful. Campbell Gullan's pompous theatre star is a send up of a type and incredibly funny with it. John Wickham and Greta Gynt are fine as the young lovebirds and it's fair to say they have their fair share of trials and tribulations as the narrative progresses. The main bad guy is played by hard-working Canadian actor Kenne Duncan who made literally hundreds of B-movies, mostly westerns, over a long career. Mervyn Johns has a minor role. THE LAST CURTAIN is never less than watchable and passes the time merrily enough.

An early directing credit for David MacDonald is this slick Paramount-British quickie featuring the usual imported Americans (Kenneth later 'Kenne' Duncan, Sara Seagar) and youthful familiar faces (Greta Gynt, Mervyn Johns), but dominated by Campbell Gullan hamming it up as actor-manager Sir Alan Masterville.

Gullan, who died in 1939 aged only 58, is remembered today by most film researchers solely as the name of the director of Michael Powell's first script ('Caste'). Referred to affectionately by Powell in his memoirs as "Gullie", he was according to Powell, "an enchanting old pro with a lifetime of experience on the stage and an infallible ear for a line", all of which are amply in evidence in this valuable record of him in full flight.

This film technically has survived well in terms of print and sound quality. Made on a budget although using Pinewood's potentially large sets, the editing and plot are both a bit flaky but it's notable for Campbell Gullan's hammed up and trilled performance as the pompous and somewhat misogynist Sir Alan Masterville - actually he was an experienced film actor of over two decades in one of his last films. For some unexplained reason the baddies are American - aiming at an Atlantic audience? Worth watching for the 1930's Deco hairstyles, sets and societal attitudes.

Campbell Gullan is good fun, and Kenne Dunne (during a brief stay in the UK before going to to appear in countless Hollywood B-pictures) also livens up this respectable Quota Quickie.