The Riverside Murder

The Riverside Murder is a British quota quickie, notable only for being the film debut of Alastair Sim.

Shortly before an important meeting of five investors, one of them, Robert Norman, is shot dead in his study. It becomes apparent that all the investors are in danger as two others are knocked off.

Sim supplies the energy, and Judy Gunn as reporter Claire Haines supplies the aggravation.

The film uses the device of a gun barrel being seen in a doorway shooting someone.

Sloppily done, with the reporter (hanging up the phone and then the phone conversation continuing.

Alistair Sim, from this humble beginning, will go on to great things.

This a Standard quota quickie with all the usual clichés.Basil Sydney,for once playing a detective,has to find a serial murderer,with the help of the comedy sidekick,played as so often,by Alistair Sim,and hindered by a female reporter.Now as is often the case,there is a totally unlikely plot contrivance which makes it impossible to work out who is the killer.Reasonable of its type.

THE RIVERSIDE MURDER opens with a murder committed by an unknown assailant. Inspector Philip Winton (Basil Sydney) and Sgt. Mac McKay (Alister Sim) are quickly on the case, questioning witnesses and running down clues.

There's also an ambitious reporter named Claire Haines (Judy Gunn) who is interested in getting the scoop.

There's a growing list of suspects, all standing to gain financially from the victim.

If that's not enough, more murders occur! Complicating matters, Winton only has a small timeframe in which to solve the crimes.

This is a very enjoyable crime drama / mystery with a satisfying conclusion...

A pushy reporter, an amusing cop, a diligent detective, and a murder with a house full of suspects. I guess Hollywood wasn't the only source of this popular 30's formula. Here It's the British and they do it up in engaging fashion. Seems a money pact was once agreed upon that would reward the four investors at a date that's about to expire. Maybe that's why some beneficiaries are suddenly getting mysteriously shot. So can Inspector Winton figure it out before the last survivor gets rewarded. But then wouldn't he have to be the killer! Stay tuned since it's a puzzling whodunit nicely thought out. And who is actress Gunn. Too bad her career was brief since her brassy reporter pretty much steals a film that does keep things moving. And, oh yes, actor Ian Fleming is unrelated to the James Bond impresario of the same name. (I was hoping otherwise.) All in all, it's a pretty good time-passer whose British accents didn't get in the way of my American ears.

A good cast act badly in this parodic quota quickie in which three people are murdered yet never engages the interest - except possibly exasperation that nobody ever throttles the infuriating blonde reporter Judy Gunn is saddled with playing. Her final scene with detective Basil Sydney is so contrived you'll want to throw things at the screen.

The direction and photography are okay.