The Voice of Merrill

There's something of the theatrical about the opening to this: a glamorous woman is shot - we hear the shot, see her fall but have no ideas as to the assailant. It transpires that she was a rather unsavoury blackmailer and we have quite a few potential suspects for "Insp. Thornton" (Garry Marsh) to get to grips with. The investigation into her murder is really only tangential to the storyline. The real story centres around the snobbish writer "Jonathan" (James Robertson Justice) who has an heart condition and a wife "Alycia" (Valerie Hobson) who is keen on up-and-coming writer "Hugh" (Edward Underdown). It turns out that JRJ's business partner "Parker" (Henry Kendall) also has some skin in this game - having embezzled some £3,000 from his company's funds. Things all start to come to an head when "Alycia" concludes that she must dispose of her ailing husband so she can be free to be with her new beau... At times it's a well written mystery featuring a solid effort from the curmudgeonly star, but for the most part the melodrama between Hobson and her unlikely gentleman friend Underdown dominates and drags the thing downunder. Still, it's quite enjoyable as the pieces of the jigsaw gradually fit into place - and the ending has quite a nice twist to it too. Worth a watch.

A female blackmailer is murdered, and three suspects emerge in "The Voice of Merrill," known in the US as "Murder Will Out."

Publisher Parker (Henry Kendall), up-and-coming writer Hugh (Edward Underdown), and Jonathan (James Robertson Justice) are the three who may have been involved in her murder.

Jonathan is married to Alycia (Valerie Hobson), but the marriage is not a happy one. She meets Hugh, and they fall in love. Hugh was due to meet the victim for dinner the night she was killed.

Ambitious for Hugh, Alycia organizes a radio series of her husband's old stories. The show is called The Voice of Merrill. It becomes extremely popular, with people wondering about the identity of the voice.

Alycia wants to tell the press that the writer of the stories is actually Hugh and not her husband. Jonathon has a severe heart problem and not expected to live. He never cared about claiming authorship of the stories. However, seeing the show's success, he decides to make trouble. The last story in the series, still allegedly written by Hugh, is a pip!

The murder of the blackmailer is revealed, but it's actually secondary to the triangle of Jonathan-Alycia-Hugh. There's a twist at the end of the film.

This is a little long and draggy, but Robertson Justice and Hobson really make the film. Robertson Justice reminds me of Peter Ustinov physically. The character has a tremendous wit and has some great dialogue. Underdown is handsome, but his character has the least to do. He was Ian Fleming's choice for James Bond, but the producer never really considered him.

This was a B movie that over time was elevated to an A over time.

A woman is dead in her flat. It turns out that she was not a good girl, although I write that not in its usual sense. She was a blackmailer, and police inspector Garry Marsh interviews four persons of interest: her employer - for her day job - publisher Henry Kendall; Edward Underdown, who has had two books published by Kendall, but has failed to impress the critics or the public; John Robertson Justice, Kendall's most famous and successful author; and Valerie Hobson, Justice's wife, and Underdown's lover. While the investigation hangs fire, Justice, dying, works out a plan of vengeance that is very obscure until the end.

That's why I am willing to forgive a small imbecility whose only purpose is to increase the tension. It's a fine, suspenseful thriller that keeps the audience guessing as to what's going on, and who killed the dead woman.... even though she isn't mentioned after the first ten minutes until nearly the end. That, and Mr. Justice, playing one of his signature roles: brilliant, self-absorbed, self-award, witty at his own expense, and a tyrant feared by all who know him. Plus, if the role called for it, an expert falconer in real life. It's a pity, but I think it never did.

This top cast made this cheap B movie into an A event. Writer-director John Gilling never did better by himself.

The Voice of Merrill (AKA: Murder Will Out) is directed by John Gilling who also adapts the screenplay from a story written by Terence Austin and Gerald Landeau. It stars Valerie Hobson, James Robertson Justice, Edward Underdown, Gary Marsh and Henry Kendall. Music is by Frank Cordell and cinematography by Monty Berman.

A British Who Done It? Thriller Out of Tempean Films, The Voice of Merrill begins with the murder of a pretty lady, the perpetrator unseen of course, and thus begins a tale of blackmail, illicit affairs, dastardly plotting, sleuthing and the vagaries of fate. It's a complex screenplay in many ways, perhaps unnecessary so, and Gilling strains to make all the threads amount to anything akin to suspense. However, once the momentum builds, and the net closes in on the suspects, the makers unleash some genuine surprises that in turn lead to a dramatic climax of some memorable impact. The acting is only OK, though it's always fun to see Robertson Justice doing one of his big bluff cantankerous acts. 6.5/10

A Female blackmailer is murdered, and one of four people have potentially killed her, the suspects include, her boss, an unsuccessful writer named Hugh, experienced writer Jonathan and his wife Alycia.

Known as Murder will out in The USA, and The voice of Merrill (arguably a better title) her in The UK, it's a B movie, and runs for approximately 90 minutes. Not a film I've ever heard spoken of, so I'm seeing it for the first time, with no prior knowledge of its content.

The story is nothing new, it has been done many, many times, and the script is average at best, but what shines through, the acting. I have adored Valerie Hobson ever since seeing her in Mind hearts and coronets, and she delivers a knockout performance here, equally good is the bombastic James Robertson Justice, he's loud and brash, a great contrast to Hobson.

It's not the most polished looking film you'll ever see, at times it does actually feel a little threadbare, and it really could have done with a bit more suspense, even the music is a little lifeless, but there really is something, maybe it's the expectation, or the curiosity caused by the murder.

The BBC gets a little bit of a pasting (something it's been more than used to for many years) once again, back then it was for being dreary.

7/10.