Checkmate

Although this British crime film is a slow moving quota quickie, it's worth watching thanks to the efforts of the central cast members, a number of whom were or would be famous in their time. It's one of those films that seems to have very little in the way of plot or relevance in the first half an hour, but gradually picks up to a generally fun if over the top climax.

CHECKMATE concerns the activities of a rather dull family presided over by the ever-present Felix Aylmer as a rather stuffy old fellow. One of the daughters has a relationship with the slightly dodgy Donald Wolfit, noted Shakespearean star and renowned barnstormer. Meanwhile, a new lodger in the house (PLANET OF THE APES star Maurice Evans) is raising suspicion, with those indoors suspecting that he may not be who he says he is.

Eventually via some low key events, all is revealed. This is an actor's film really, heavy on the dialogue but light on action. A little comedy relief would have made it more presentable, although that sped-up fight scene is laughable in itself.

Old movies (and new ones for that matter!) exist in a perpetual present yet often represent the interaction of representatives of completely different eras.

Thus in this breezy little quota quickie we find Sir Felix Aylmer aged only 46, yet looking no younger than he did over thirty years later when I remember seeing him on TV every week in 'All Gas and Gaiters' in a rare lead flanked by dapper, shockingly youthful versions of fellow stage veterans Maurice Evans and Donald Wolfit, directed by the sixty year-old George Pearson (who later ruefully recalled that quota quickies was "the only field open to the few pioneers remaining from the silent film days").

This is, of course, a quota quickie and therefore hardly a work of art. However, the other reviews do seem to be over-critical of it.

Production values are higher than the usual poverty row. The cast is pretty good for this kind of film. It's not super-slow, but the plot unfolds at a reasonable pace, while we get a couple of very decent twists. The acting is nice, Aylmer playing his dual part, while Donald Wolfit stands out as the petty crook, defiant but out of his depth. The brokers Curtail and Huntley are also excellently played in a couple of cameos. Evans is perhaps a little on the fey side.

It probably wouldn't withstand detailed scrutiny. For instance, it is never reasonably explained whether Nicholls wanted a lodger in his house, whether he wanted this particular lodger, or whether, as he maintained, he wanted no lodgers at all. And if not, why did he allow the advertisement to be placed?

In short, a very decent film of its type. If it's not your kind of thing, don't watch it - it's not far off a century old, with a low budget and strictly in potboiler territory. But if you do like this kind of thing, then rest assured that this is exactly the kind of thing you will like.

Kindly old Felix Aylmer lives in London with his two daughters Evelyn Foster and Sally Gray. They advertise for a lodger and they get one in Maurice Evans. But they don't know at first he's a Scotland Yard man going undercover. The daughters don't know that dear old dad is head of a gang of thieves.

One in said gang is Donald Wolfit who Evans already knows is a break in man. The idea is catch them with the goods.

Evans is eager, but a bit of a dunce. The gang keeps fooling him until the very end.

Interesting quota quickie from Great Britain with three player in their salad days.