A Case for PC 49 *** (1951, Brian Reece, Joy Shelton, Christine Norden) – Classic Movie Review 5081

Hammer Films’ second PC 49 British B-movie thriller 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).

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. Model girl Della Dainton (Christine Norden) requests police protection as a cover for the murder, and gets herself PC 49, whose fiancée Joan Carr (Joy Shelton) is suspicious.

The cheap 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.

Also in the cast are 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.

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

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© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5081

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