The Man in Black

Great old-school psychological thriller. The story has some nice twists and turns, as well as some plot elements that are familiar, even for the time. It's a fun watch and the three leading ladies carry the show.

The Man in Black is directed by Francis Searle and Searle co-writes the play with John Gilling. It stars Betty Ann Davies, Sheila Burell, Sid James, Anthony Forwood and Mollie Palmer. Music is by Frank Spencer and Rupert Grayson and cinematography by Cedric Williams.

Out of Hammer Films, this adaptation from a radio series is a tight little "Gaslight" suspenser. Story basically entails a young lady recently bequeathed her father's inheritance, who is at the mercy of scheming family members intent on ensuring she doesn't get what's rightfully hers.

The core of the plot is quickly revealed to us, so there is no pretention as to this being a supernatural dark house spooker - which is on the cards given the splendid shadowy and creaky setting of the Oakfield Towers mansion.

Story moves through a number of pleasant surprises, murder and intrigue prominent, motives straight and sketchy depending on certain characters' involvements, and thankfully the final run in has some weighty surprise value as well.

It's all very correct in dialogue and a little camp in places, but it's clever in its telling and nicely performed by the cast. 6.5/10

Based on the extremely popular BBC radio series from the thirties and forties, The Man in Black played by famously spooky voiced Valentine Dyall introduces the story. Yogi follower Sid James dies in his country pile leaving his fortune to his daughter. His wife looks for ways of disinheriting her through having her committed or worse.

Whilst you can quite easily see roughly what is going on here right from the start and it is all a bit twin set and pearls, there is much to enjoy here and a number of twists and turns to keep you guessing. It's an early Hammer film and its radio origins do rather betray it, but it makes for a pleasant hour and a half and nice to Sid James in a straight role for once.

Stealing From Radio was a Common Occurrence in the Movies and Television.

This Early Hammer Studios Rendition of a Popular BBC Radio Series is Very Well Done with Excellent Costumes, Make-Up, Acting, and Sets.

The Studio seems to be Firing on All Cylinders with this Effort.

It is a Harbinger of the Style and Success that Hammer would be come Known for After its Break-Through in the Mid 50's.

The Acting is Above Average for this Type of Thing.

And the Snappy Script Keeps Things Hopping and the Two Females that "Gaslight" are Creepy and Loathsome.

Sidney James has a Dual Role.

The Ending is a one of Surprise.

But some may Find it was Telegraphed in the First-Act.

One of the Better of its Type. Worth a Watch to See Early Hammer at Work and for the Overall Production that is Above Average.

Another movie watched ahead of the "House of Hammer" podcast related to it. Another adaptation of a BBC radio series into a film. Another one where I come away a bit disappointed by the end product, despite it seeming like a decent premise.

With his health failing, Henry Clavering (Sid James) has turned to Yoga to ease his stresses. During a demonstration one night, a falling painting startles him, causing him seemingly to die. With Henry's inheritance falling to his daughter Joan (Hazel Penwarden), his scheming second wife Bertha (Betty Ann Davies) arrives at a plan to convince the fragile Joan that her mind his failing and that Bertha would be better placed to look after their affairs. Bertha's plan is complicated by the arrival of Victor (Anthony Forwood) fiancé of Bertha's daughter Janice (Sheila Burrell) who starts to wonder if the newly minted Joan might make a better bet.

I liked the performances in this one, particularly from what turns out to be the central double act of Bertha and Janice. They bicker back and forth, and the films funniest moment comes from them. The film is not meant to be funny though, despite Sid James presence. Smoking and murder are the order of the day here. This is probably the best-looking film we've seen from Hammer so far and, despite some incongruous music choices the audio recording is solid too.

But the story is too busy for me. I just want to see Bertha try and gaslight Joan and for "Hodson" to try and rescue her. Victor ends up coming in and setting up a side plot that just complicates matters and the film moves away from the focus it should have. Bertha's scheme seems to involve opening a door and moving a photograph, good early steps but more time should have been spent there trying to convince her of her failing faculties. Speaking of Hodson, there is a reveal involving him that I wonder if might have caught more people unaware in 1950, whereas to 2022 eyes it's apparent from the first moment you see him. I also don't really see what the "Man in Black" aspect added to it, other than presumably to capitalise on the popular radio series, as the film doesn't need a narrator and the way he's tied into this doesn't really make sense.

It's not the worst film I've watched for the podcast, but not the best either and the slow plot and obvious twist mean I don't think there's much for a 21st century audience.