King of the Underworld

Inspector Morley (Patrick Barr) is on the trail of a sinister crook Terence Reilly (Tod Slaughter) a master criminal who is involved in blackmail that is only part of his grandiose scheme which also involves theft and blackmail.

The film is a quick low budget feature, you can tell from all the interior shots and is a rather creaky film, I actually watched a rather scratchy copy which was not really suitable for broadcast television.

The film is joined up from three episodes from a 1952 British television series called 'Inspector Morley, Late of Scotland Yard, Investigates' with linking narration. At least Slaughter dominates the film with Inspector Morley always playing catch up.

In this movie cobbled together from episodes of Inspector Morley, Late of Scotland Yard, the former police 'tec goes after a master criminal who dabbles in blackmail, jewel theft, and other crimes that chance opportunity turns up.

Top-billed is the Last of the Barnstorming Melodrama Stars, our old friend Tod Slaughter, he of the sinister chuckle and terrifying quip -- and the bath tub full of acid for Patrick Barr's girl Friday. Can he save her from a fate worse than being a bride of Death? Can he escape yet again from the clutches of the law?

It's a very cheap production, with a score of obvious stock music, but my pleasure at seeing Mr. Slaughter (whose real name was 'Slaughter', although he was christened 'Norman Carter') giving one of his fruity performances remains.

I'm inserting reviews for films I've seen that lack one at time of writing, this rarity mine is the 7th vote, has just screened on the great talking pictures, which is an excellent source of old British films, so here goes review follows....

T.Slaughter stars as a blackmailer and general jack of all trades criminal, his nemesis is P.Barr ex detective now a PI who is always one step behind him; this is very creaky, and looks like it's been cut, as many scenes appear truncated, though looking at the running time there is at most only 3 minutes missing; Slaughter is always worth a look, but is more suited to the Victorian melodrama where he can go full ham; apart from him and Barr the only name I recognise on the credits is Don Chaffey as Art Director, who went on to direct One Million Years B.C. among others (note there is no on screen writing credit); recommended to T.Slaughter completest.

A couple of points, there is a lot of noise on the print around the 43>49 min' point, and it somehow doesn't have a full entry in the BFI Monthly Film Buelletin only a brief 'not reviewed this issue' note in Aug-52 saying it would be included the following month, or before it's general release.

One of the previous reviewers has made the point that this was never reviewed by the MF B.Quinlan states that this had few showings.This is a very curious film.It has the air of three separate TV episodes cut together to make a feature similar to the Colonel March features.Scenes are linked together by a rather monotonous narration spoken by Patrick Barr who plays the private investigator who is constantly on the trail of Todd Slaughter making one of his few appearances in modern dress.The film is poorly edited and seems to jump from one story to another.The ending is just so bizarre,as if someone had chopped 10 minutes out of the film.

KING OF THE UNDERWORLD is the first in a rare trilogy of low budget British crime films showcasing the talents of former theatrical star and barnstorming ham Tod Slaughter. It was followed by MURDER AT Scotland YARD and the short film MURDER AT THE GRANGE. The story of KING OF THE UNDERWORLD sees Slaughter up to his neck in a tricky blackmail scheme while dogged - and balding - detective Patrick Barr does everything in his power to bring him to book.

As with other Slaughter vehicles that I'd watched, the film really slows down whenever Slaughter's off screen. He's away for the midsection of the movie which feels very dull without his presence, but when he does show up he's great fun: full of sinister laughter and hot air, delighted with himself and his nefarious schemes. Barr is okay as the protagonist but his character does feel oddly lifeless compared to Slaughter's and you can't help but wish the villain would get away with it in this one.

KING OF THE UNDERWORLD is a mix of fight scenes, characters getting tied up and escaping, murder, jawing, and Barr donning various disguises in the Sherlock Holmes style. Slaughter remains a delight even at his advanced age; my favourite line of his is the cutting retort to his elderly accomplice, "I need to fumigate the room and I can't do it while you're present!".