The High Terrace

HIGH TERRACE is another solid thriller, made with a B-movie budget in 1950s Britain. This one stars the impossibly glamorous Lois Maxwell and was made five years before she made her Bond debut in the 1960s as Miss Moneypenny. The story involves a theatre group controlled by egotistical director Eric Pohlmann. When he ends up with a well-deserved knife in his back, the finger of suspicion points at Maxwell and only imported Hollywood star Dale Robertson has the nous to clear her name. It's familiar story both in terms of story and cast, not particularly remarkable but watchable for what it sets out to do.

The theatrical stage rather than the Wells Fargo type that is. He's a Producer and the High Terrace is the play he hopes to put on, having lined up Stephanie Blake (Lois Maxwell) for the lead. His chance comes sooner than expected when the oppressive producer of her current play is murdered.

A small-scale but quite efficient production that holds the interest. The conclusion came as something of a surprize, at least to me, having previously been pretty certain who the 'least-suspected' culprit was going to be.

Some effective performances, and liked Jameson Clark's slightly dishevelled Insp. Mackay. "I know at least three actors, all out of work, who would look more convincing as a Scotland Yard man" an elderly actress waspishly observes - there are a few other amusing lines. Eric Pohlmann, in more sombre mode than usual as the sinister and controlling Kellner and Lois Maxwell are good. Playing another suspect is Maxwell's fellow Canadian, Mary Laura Wood, a striking looking and versatile actress, largely confined to unsympathetic roles in British films, who perhaps didn't get the breaks.

"High Terrace" is a minor "B" film that I watched because it starred Dale Robinson taking a step down from starring roles in Westerns, and Lois Maxwell on her way to being James Bond's Miss Moneypenny. And there were interesting names in the supporting cast, not least Lionel Jeffries and, before his "Dad's Army" days, Arthur Lowe, whom I didn't spot. There was also the hope of some scenes of London in the 1950s, but these proved to be few and far between.

It's a WhoDunIT set mostly in a modest London theatre run by a bullying Eric Pohlmann, who's found stabbed in his back with scissors. There are, of course, various suspects, with a reasonable twist at the end.

These were the days when Hollywood names starred in very average British films, and as with other US actors perhaps Dale wondered what he was doing in this one, filmed in black and white after his leading appearances in various colour films. Acting honours go to Lois Maxwell and Lionel Jeffries.

Clips of clapping audiences were obviously of far larger theatres than the one featured.

Reasonable enough, if underwhelming.