The 20 Questions Murder Mystery

Based around a guessing game radio show that that was very popular in America and the UK in the 40s and 50s, this film stars the cast of the British version. An anonymous listener is mailing questions into the show to be solved on the air, and these clues are lining up with actual murders being committed, so it's up to our radio heroes to decipher the clues for each new letter before it's too late and the murder committed.

It's old, creaky, but also quaint and light hearted with all murder and violence happening off-screen. I imagine people who were familiar with the UK program got more miles out of this than the rest of us as there are a number of in-jokes based on the panelists personalities (particularly Jack Train, who seems to be the goofball of the otherwise stuffy group), but it's still a fun, quick Sunday afternoon-type whodunit if you like the sort and even if you've never heard of the show.

A film that will remind you that a Dimbleby has always been on the BBC as Richard Dimbleby plays himself as a member of the Twenty Questions radio panel. The panel receive a series of anonymous clues that lead to murder.

A journalist Bob Beacham (Robert Beatty) realises that a question sent by a listener regarding Riki-tiki-tavi is somehow linked to the death next day of a man with a name similar to it.

Along with a fellow journalist Mary Game (Rona Anderson) they look for similar clues in the next edition of the radio program as they figure that a pattern is developing.

It is never explained why the murderer has gone to elaborate lengths to the taunt the police but they seem to be more interested in fitting up an Indian manservant called Mohammed Ali.

All through the film you get comments on the case by two BBC workers on the reception of the radio show.

There is a lot of casual sexism in the film, yet it is a rather amusing, dated and diverting thriller.

Despite only being six at the time I well remember the national grief when broadcaster Richard Dimbleby died in 1965, and you probably have to be my age or over to get the references to Rikitikitavi and Judge Jeffreys (while it dates the film that no eyebrows are raised at one character being called 'Mohammed Ali')!

Oddly this seems not to be based on a novel, since it plays like a Hollywood series entry embellished with a plusher production, wittily cynical quips, London locations and a large British supporting cast with familiar faces in sometimes surprisingly brief roles. (SLIGHT SPOILER COMING: It was because one well known actor was given so little to do that alerted me to the fact that he was going to turn out to be the killer.)

I really quite enjoyed this rather quirky crime thriller. It starts off with the most spurious of clues - a man writes into the famous BBC radio panel game "20 Questions" with a puzzle for them all. The answer turns out to be incredibly similar to the circumstances of a murder the next day... When this happens again, two sparring reporters get down to investigating what's going on. Robert Beattty and Rona Anderson blend their gentle journalistic competitiveness (and a gently burgeoning romance) well, and alongside Edward Lexy as the pursuing policeman ("Insp. Charlton") and the real quiz panel - including legendary British broadcasters Richard Dimbleby and Jack Train - help to keep the mystery rolling along nicely. It's just a bit too long, I felt - the story does start to recycle itself a bit and there is a great deal of dialogue, but it is still an intriguing enough watch as the brains start to piece together this complex series of evidence threads that keeps us guessing right to the end. A couple of nice cameos from Kynaston Reeves and Liam Redmond help out well, too.

The BBC's legendary Twenty Questions show is the subject of a killer's macabre sense of humour, sending in questions as leads to their heinous crimes.

It's a very cold and wet day, the curtains are shut, so the setting is cosy, this film has been the perfect antadote to a cold and wet day. The pace is slow, but it's engaging enough, it's atmospheric and will keep you guessing. The acting is varied to say the least, but there are some interesting characters.

It's 1950, it holds up, nice production values, although some of the attitudes are representative of the time.

Poirot's Whitehaven Mansions appear to be the external home of Mary Game.

It's a decent pot boiler, 6/10.