The Echo Murders

It begins with complex web of events: Two thugs are waiting to meet up with a third in a seaside hotel. They find their friend dead on the beach and promptly rob him of all his goods. An "accident" at a mine is blamed on the manager who is dismissed. The mine owner, who is being blackmailed and is in fear for his life, sends a message to super sleuth Sexton Blake to come and investigate. A mysterious voice gives instructions to a henchmen from a hiding place deep in a sea cave...

From there is spins out into a mostly exciting tale of intrigue and espionage. This plays out like a Hollywood programmer but on steroids, with big destructive fights, twists that are twists and a go for it attitude that can't be beat.

I've never really run across Sexton Blake before. I know that he was/is a fictional creation to rival Sherlock Holmes in England. He appeared here in the US in a movie serial and that he was the hero in several films from England including one with Tod Slaughter as the villain. He was a character that never really crossed the Atlantic so we movie/mystery fans have little knowledge of his super exploits.

Based on this film its a shame that we haven't gotten more of his stories. This is a slam bang adventure that keeps you glued to the screen as enemies become friend, friends become enemies and the only person you can be certain of in the entire film is Sexton Blake who has all of the murder and mayhem swim around him.

This is a really good film that for the most part I can't recommend enough. The problem is that the comings and goings are much too complicated for a slam bang 75 minute movie. There is simply too much going on and as the film hits the final fifteen or twenty minutes you begin to feel that something was left out. There is simply too much crammed into those final minutes and details end up shooting all over the floor never to be recovered. (Please forgive my lack of detail in this regard, I can't explain it with out giving too much away, which I don't want to do, since you really should see this film) If you come across this small gem from England take the time and watch it, you'll be glad you did.

The action is too fast for anyone to be able to follow, and it constantly gets confused on the way, which doesn't improve the impression. The acting is good although grossly exaggerated all the way, and nothing here is really believable - it is more like some kind of a prehistoric James Bond sketch touching on both the fantastic and science fiction and being anything but realistic. The scenery is fascinating though, some scenes are really intriguing in terrifying obliqueness, while sadly the film was made some years too late. It deals with Nazi fifth columnists in England that plot an invasion by Cornwall, using a mine for cover, while in 1945 they had already missed the train by some years. It's a kind of adventure story for youngsters, you almost feel some presence of Enid Blyton in the set-up, so it is anything but dead serious. However, the corpses keep mounting, there is a momentous shoot-out, and you easily get lost in those caves. David Farrar was a dashing actor in the style of Douglas Fairbanks Sr, but he would make better roles than this rather amateurish imitation of Sherlock Holmes.

David Farrer was a reliable leading man of the 40s and 50s but even he can do little to rescue this sorry mess.It is a substandard rip off of Sherlock Holmes with a plot so confusing it is difficult to understand precisely what is happening.So many details of Holmes are shamelessly utilised such as his Baker Street address,his use of disguises and ability to get out of numerous tight corners.however this film is so cheap that it spares every expense.Thus when Farrer is caught for the umpteenth time by the master criminal he has to explain his previous escape because we don't actually see it.The action is laughable with punches clearly missing their mark by a mile.Some of the cave settings look more like a borrowed Santas Grotto.Even a young,up and coming Dennis Price can do little with his role.So if you are looking for a decent thriller give this one a miss.

There's a lot about this film that some might criticise, like plot holes, far fetched escapes, small budget etc. But for me those that might use that to put in those criticisms are missing the context of this film.

The film is strictly a kids film of the time.... almost comic like because that's what the film is about.... The hero will always escape and will always win.... These types of films like Bulldog Drummond etc were made for Saturday morning kids cinema. As a rule of thumb you can spot them because there's no romance (young boys would not like that!), another is the budget indeed any of the criticisms here are a good indication that this is a kids film... however I think many have missed that here..... I thought the film was great for who it was intended to be for and if you watch it with that in mind I think you will enjoy it .... The film runs like a comic of the day, like Boys Own or similar hence the way the scenes change and escapes are made, also the story itself is taken from a comic rather than the book... and plays like that.

This film is of its day but it is still fun to watch.... as long as you can imagine you are one of those kids watching the film on a Saturday morning at the local flea pit cinema.... 👍