A Case for PC 49 *** (1951, Brian Reece, Joy Shelton, Christine Norden) – Classic Movie Review 5,081

Hammer Films’ still-fun B-movie crime thriller sequel film A Case for PC 49 is made in Britain in 1951 by director Francis Searle and features the original radio PC 49 Brian Reece.

Hammer Films’ second PC 49 British B-movie crime thriller sequel film A Case for PC 49 is made in Britain in 1951 by director Francis Searle and this time features the original radio PC 49 Brian Reece as police constable Archibald Berkeley-Willoughby, taking over the movie role back from Hugh Latimer, star of The Adventures of PC 49 (1949). It also features Joy Shelton, the original radio character Joan Carr, PC 49’s fiancée.

In the screenplay by Alan Stranks and Vernon Harris (based on their radio series) and Francis Searle, PC 49 investigates the mysterious death of a millionaire, Jimmy Pewter (John Barry). Voluptuous model girl Della Dainton (Christine Norden) requests overnight police protection as a cover for the murder, and gets herself plain clothes copper PC 49, whose fiancée Joan Carr (Joy Shelton) is suspicious.

Some silly comedy acting and jokey scenes undermine a rather good thriller plot, which has simultaneous twin strands, a murder and a safe robbery. Hammer’s cheap-looking sets and a faded, creaky studio-based atmosphere are balanced by the spirited acting and a breakneck pace to make this an adequate, still-fun vintage police puzzler.

Whatever its drawbacks, there is some very considerable nostalgia value involved though. This sequel to 1949’s The Adventures of PC 49 was adapted from the famed BBC radio series, which began in 1947 and lasted till 1953, and has the advantage of boasting the radio cast this time. Brian Reece is a definite improvement on the way-too-posh Hugh Latimer, and excellent in all his serious scenes, though handicapped dreadfully having to mug various comedy moments, reduced at times to the level of comedy copper. Joy Shelton is very lively, feisty and enjoyable, re-creating her radio role as Joan Carr.

Christine Norden is hugely entertaining, vamping outrageously as the femme fatale model Della Dainton, who decides to murder besotted millionaire Jimmy Pewter (John Barry) after he makes her his sole beneficiary, with the help of her oily lover Victor Palantine (Leslie Bradley).

Michael Ripper returns from The Adventures of PC 49 with one of his most substantial roles as the ex-crook George Steele, a suspect in the murder.

Other useful actors are George McLeod as Inspector Wilson and Campbell Singer as Sgt Wright, PC 49’s plodding and exasperated superiors, and, as the two safe robbers, Jack Stewart as Cutler (villainous) and Michael Balfour as Chubby Price (comedic).

The cast are Brian Reece, Joy Shelton, Christine Norden, Leslie Bradley, Gordon McLeod, Michael Balfour, Michael Ripper, Campbell Singer, Jack Stewart, Joan Seton, Edna Morris, John Sharp, Frank Hawkins, John Barry and John Warren.

It was shot by Hammer Films at their Bray Studios from 17 February 1951 to 16 March 1951. 

Release date: 23 July 1951.

A Case for PC 49 is directed by Francis Searle, runs 80 minutes, is made by Hammer Films, is released by Exclusive Films, is written by Alan Stranks, Vernon Harris and Francis Searle, , based on the BBC radio series, is shot in black and white by Walter J Harvey, is produced by Anthony Hinds, and is scored by Frank Spencer.

The BBC radio series ran for 112 episodes but only two are known to have survived.

Francis Searle

Francis Searle’s first feature film as a director, A Girl in a Million (1946), turned out to be his only A picture, but he went on to enjoy a long and successful career with many B movies.

Director Francis Searle’s feature films: A Girl in a Million (1946), Things Happen at Night (1947), Celia (1949), The Man in Black (1949), The Lady Craved Excitement (1950), Someone at the Door (1950), A Case for PC 49 (1951), Cloudburst (1951), The Rossiter Case (1951), Love’s a Luxury (1952), Never Look Back (1952), Whispering Smith Hits London (1952), Murder at 3am (1953), Wheel of Fate (1953), Profile (1954), One Way Out (1955), The Gelignite Gang (1956), Undercover Girl (1958), Murder at Site 3 (1959), Trouble with Eve (1960), Ticket to Paradise (1961), Freedom to Die (1961), Emergency (1962), Dead Man’s Evidence (1962), Gaolbreak (1962), Night of the Prowler (1962), and The Marked One (1963).

Miss MacTaggart Won’t Lie Down (1966) is the first and best in a series of 30-minute films Francis Searle called Screen Miniatures, which he made between 1966 and 1972. Others in the series are The Pale Faced Girl (1968), Talk of the Devil (1968), Gold Is Where You Find It (1968), It All Goes to Show (1969), A Hole Lot of Trouble (1971) and A Couple of Beauties (1972).

Francis Searle was born on 14 March 1909 and died on 31 July 2002, aged 93.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5,081

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