Crime on the Hill

The local squire dies. His American ward, Sally Blane, inherits. Then in comes Phyllis Dare. She and the dead man had been secretly married for a few weeks, so she inherits, although she promises to take care of Miss Blane. The younger woman is just as pleased, because her fiancé, Anthony Bushell, had called off their engagement, angry that he was thought a fortune hunter. Local vicar Lewis Casson preaches a sermon on false witnesses, and things are going along swimmingly, until the body is exhumed, and the cause of death turns out not be be a heart attack, as Doctor Nigel Playfair had thought, but poison. The police settle on Bushell as the murderer and he is found guilty. Then....

It's a mediocre mystery programmer, but director Bernard Vorhaus does a fair job of translating it from a stage play, making use of a small village and appurtenances, some nice natural sets that have the Doctor and vicar fishing at the beginning and settling up the characters quickly. No one is more than a brief sketch, but for a one-hour movie, it's well acted and shot by DP Clause Friese-Greene.

When a film's directed by Bernard Vorhaus you can usually be sure you'll get an entertaining, well made picture. This is no exception - it's as good as any modern murder mystery but with lashings of 1930s atmosphere.

You will be pleasantly surprised how intelligent the story is, how well rounded the characters are and how naturalistic the acting is. Bernard Vorhaus was usually confined to making quota quickies for Julius Hagen's "poverty row" Twickenham Studios but he made this one at British International Pictures so we're allowed to see what he could do with a proper budget with proper actors and proper sets. The result is like BIP have opened a bottle of champagne that's been shaken for years at Twickenham - it's an explosion of pent up talent. The cinematography is sumptuous and innovative as well. The tightly edited series of ever closer close-ups during the visiting hour scene is particularly impressive.

The luxury of not making a quota quickie enabled Vorhaus to carefully compose each scene not just to look good but to contribute to the narrative. Each scene has its own mood and their contrast keeps this interesting. Especially for the gentlemen, he certainly devoted considerable time to ensure that Sally Blane looks absolutely amazing in every shot. From her introduction to us, hiding naked behind a bush to her very animated (in other words, very bouncy) running up the hill, she is the epitome of pre-code sexiness. But like her more famous sister, she's not just a (very) pretty face. This might be her best picture. With good writing and a first class director, her performance is - like everyone else's, realistic and engaging.

From the synopsis you might think that this is sort of Father Brown type thing but don't be fooled. This has much more depth, you could watch this several times and take something new from it each time. Yes, it's a murder mystery but it also pulls away the idyllic veneer bubble of sunshine which we imagine enrobes rural English life. Interspersed within its gentle-paced cosiness is a subversive streak of cynicism which adds another layer into this surprisingly entertaining slice of 1930s life.

When I came across this I, as is my habit, checked out the IMDb rating and reviews. I was intrigued that it had such a high score for an older movie and gave it a shot. I'm glad that I did. While it did amble along a bit, the plot was quite good. It had me fooled right up until the end, without being silly or stretching credence.

The acting, as has been pointed out, is wooden by modern standards but therein lies some of it's charm. It is after all more than 80 years old. The scenery and mores are of a time gone by and are a nice glimpse into an England between the wars.

It's also interesting to watch Loretta young's older sister, Sally Blane in the role of Sylvia Kennett.

So, the bottom lie is that should you have a Sunday afternoon free and this film comes along, give it a go.

Classic British black & white movie from the early 30s starring the great Phyllis Dare in one of her few movie appearances. Phyllis was a child star from the 1890s and the sister of Zena Dare who was in My Fair Lady. Both were leading Picture Postcard Beauties at the turn of last century

A straightforward murder mystery told well. Allowing for differences in acting methods since then and the technical capabilities of film just about as good as any supporting feature made in the 1930s. One or two technical glitches on the print I've seen do not detract from enjoyment of the story which is your classic Sunday Afternoon Old Film.

Lots of local colour and scenes of ordinary life in a village for the period makes for interesting viewing. There are enough Red Herrings to keep the plot ticking over.

For those who like trivia: Michael Bilton (Old Ned in To the Manor Born) is to be seen fleetingly in the garden fête scene as a very young man sporting a straw boater.