Account Rendered *** (1957, Griffith Jones, Ursula Howells, Honor Blackman, Ewen Solon) – Classic Movie Review 13,381

‘Suddenly in the Night… A Woman of Wayward Passions Pays for Her Evil!’ The 1957 British crime thriller B movie Account Rendered is based on the 1953 novel by Pamela Barrington, and stars Griffith Jones, Ursula Howells, Honor Blackman, and Ewen Solon.

‘Suddenly in the Night… A Woman of Wayward Passions Pays for Her Evil!’

Director Peter Graham Scott’s 1957 British second feature crime thriller film Account Rendered is based on the 1953 novel by Pamela Barrington, and stars Griffith Jones, Ursula Howells, Honor Blackman, and Ewen Solon. This minor picture is made by Major Pictures, and is released by J Arthur Rank Film Distributors as a useful support to one of its pictures.

Griffith Jones gives a creepy star turn as Robert Ainsworth, the implicitly accused husband attempting to prove to the suspecting police that he didn’t bump off his faithless wife Lucille (Ursula Howells). He was there at the time of the murder and has motive too, and weird bruises on his face. It looks bad for him so he concocts a fake alibi.

Detective Inspector Marshall (Ewen Solon) investigates after wealthy Lucille Ainsworth is found strangled on Hampstead Heath. Her husband was following her as he suspected her of being unfaithful. But he is just one of many suspects. What are Carl Bernard as banker Gilbert Morgan, John Van Eyssen as the philandering artist Clive Franklyn and Philip Gilbert as John Langford up to? Talk about creepy turns, these actors give masterclasses in creepy.

This cheaply and quickly made British B movie supporting feature boasts effective performances and an efficient and gripping plot, unusual enough to be above the merely routine, in the decently and intricately developed screenplay by Barbara S Harper. It is properly labyrinthine and gratuitously involved in the true style and tradition of these old mysteries, with the real killer carefully and successfully concealed. Director Peter Graham Scott stokes up some considerable suspense and tension, and even some excitement, particularly at the climax.

Ursula Howells pulls off her tough as nails, serial philanderer role stylishly. A sweet little-known appearance from Avengers and Bond beauty Honor Blackman gives the film a lift and a little extra distinction as Sarah Hayward, the dead woman’s friend, and later the hero’s friend and helper, and possibly more.

Meanwhile Ewen Solon and Robert Raikes are more than acceptable as the cops on the case, no-nonsense Detective Inspector Marshall and his eager assistant Detective Sergeant Berry. Solon is brusque and intense and Raikes is earnest, both with a lot to do. It’s a shame that Ursula Howells and Honor Blackman don’t have more to do as they are very classy. Howells gets bumped off after 15 minutes, though she has those more or less to herself.

Everyone looks smart and has posh voices, even the police! But it is a dark world where everyone is quite dreadful in the film noir vein, smart and posh covering a multitude of sins.

It is shot in the studio at Southall Studios, Southall, Middlesex, England.

Release date: 8 August 1957.

It screened at London’s Odeon Marble Arch cinema supporting Night Passage. Its general release was supporting Across the Bridge from 1 September 1957 on the Gaumont circuit after a pre-release week at the Dominion Tottenham Court Road and New Victoria, Victoria, from 25 August.

The cast

The cast are Griffith Jones as Robert Ainsworth, Ursula Howells as Lucille Ainsworth, Honor Blackman as Sarah Hayward, Ewen Solon as Detective Inspector Marshall, Carl Bernard as Gilbert Morgan, Mary Jones as Nella Langford, Philip Gilbert as John Langford, John Van Eyssen as Clive Franklyn, Robert Raikes as Detective Sergeant Berry, Gordon Phillott as Rigby, Doris Yorke as landlady, Vernon Smythe as Colonel Jarvis, Gerda Larsen as Blondi, Harry Ross as Bernard Goodman, Barry Steele as barman, and Edwin Richfield as porter.

Account Rendered is directed by Peter Graham Scott, runs 59 minutes, is made by Major Pictures, is released by J Arthur Rank Film Distributors, is written by Barbara S Harper, is shot in black and white by Walter J Harvey, is produced by John Temple-Smith, Francis Edge and Luigi Rovere.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,381

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