The Crimes of Stephen Hawke

1936
1h 9m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

A crazed killer known as "The Spinebreaker" is terrorizing London with a series of grisly murders. The police seem powerless to stop him.A crazed killer known as "The Spinebreaker" is terrorizing London with a series of grisly murders. The police seem powerless to stop him.A crazed killer known as "The Spinebreaker" is terrorizing London with a series of grisly murders. The police seem powerless to stop him.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.6/10

382

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Top cast17

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Tod Slaughter

Stephen Hawke

Marjorie Taylor

Julia Hawke

D.J. Williams

Joshua Trimble

Eric Portman

Matthew Trimble

Graham Soutten

Nathaniel
(as Ben Soutten)

Gerald Barry

Miles Archer

George M. Slater

Lord Brickhaven

Charles Penrose

Sir Franklin

Norman Pierce

Landlord

Flotsam and Jetsam

Themselves

B.C. Hilliam

Self
(as Flotsam)

Malcolm 'Mr. Jetsam' McEachern

Self
(as Jetsam)

Cecil Bevan

Small Boy's Father
(uncredited)

Annie Esmond

Small Boy's Nanny
(uncredited)

Jack Sharp

Policeman
(uncredited)

Harry Terry

First Prisoner
(uncredited)

Ben Williams

Prison Warder
(uncredited)

User reviews19

Featured review

"Fool! Idiot! Dolt! Have You No Brains?!"...

THE CRIMES OF STEPHEN HAWKE opens with a rather lengthy radio program featuring the creaky musical duo, "Flotsam and Jetsam", and a man telling a story. Then, finally, Mr. Tod Slaughter himself arrives to recount some of his most devilish film roles.

When the actual story begins, we are introduced to the title character, known by the public at large as: The Spine Breaker (Mr. Slaughter). True to form, a victim is claimed within a few minutes. Hawke is presented as insidious right out of the gate! Mr. Slaughter once again portrays his villain as the embodiment of murderous glee.

Hawke also has a contrived persona as a kindly moneylender. No one suspects him of actually being a cackling psychopath, not even his daughter. This ruse helps to keep the entertainment level high, as we know full well what this monster is up to. There are some fun, sinister double entendres from Mr. Hawke about his crimes.

Fans of Tod Slaughter will love this film. The uninitiated will marvel at his ability to chew through scenery like a nuclear-powered buzz saw!...