Celia ** (1949, Hy Hazell, Bruce Lister, John Bailey, James Raglan, Elsie Wagstaffe, Lockwood West, Joan Hickson, Ferdy Mayne) – Classic Movie Review 13,016

Hy Hazell gives a bubbly star performance as Celia, who thinks that rich old Aunt Nora (Elsie Wagstaff)’s creepy new, younger husband Lester Martin (John Bailey) is an evil schemer intending to murder the much sedated Aunt Nora.

The unemployed Celia is offered the chance to earn some money by her ex-boyfriend Larry Peters (Bruce Lester), who runs a private detective agency. His clients Mr Haldane (John Sharp) and Mrs Haldane (Joan Hickson) are worried about their Aunt Nora, having not heard from her, and luckily Celia is an actress so she has no difficulty in pretending to be a housekeeper at Aunt Nora’s country mansion to investigate and catch the would-be murderer out.

Hyacinth Hazel O’Higgins (4 October 1919 – 10 May 1970), stage name Hy Hazell.

Director Francis Searle’s 1949 crime drama film Celia is a vivacious, entertaining short Hammer Films comedy thriller from the days when the studio was making a pleasant income bringing radio serials to the screen (Dick Barton, The Man in Black, PC 49, etc). This one is by Edward J Mason, who co-wrote the screenplay with the director, A R Rawlinson and Roy Plomley.

Also in the cast are Bruce Lister, John Bailey, James Raglan, Elsie Wagstaffe, Lockwood West, Joan Hickson, Ferdy Mayne, Grace Denbigh-Russell, Olive Walter, Charles Paton, Jasmine Dee, and John Sharp.

Celia is directed by Francis Searle, runs 67 minutes, is made by Hammer Films, is released by Exclusive Films, is written by Francis Searle (screenplay), Edward J Mason (screenplay), A R Rawlinson (screenplay) and Roy Plomley (additional dialogue), is shot in black and white by Cedric Williams, is produced by Anthony Hinds, is scored by Rupert Grayson and Frank Spencer, and designed by Denis Wrexford.

The cast are Hy Hazell as Celia, Bruce Lester as Larry Peters, John Bailey as Lester Martin, Elsie Wagstaff as Aunt Nora, Ferdy Mayne as Antonio, Lockwood West as Dr Cresswell, John Sharp as Mr Haldane, Joan Hickson as Mrs Haldane, James Raglan as Inspector Parker, Jasmine Dee as Miss Arnold, June Elvin as Ruby, Charles Paton as Grocer, Olive Walter as Woman in shop, and Grace Denbigh Russell as Woman in shop.

The film was shot in Dial Close Court, Winter Hill, a country mansion in Cookham, Berkshire, hired by Hammer for £25 a week, with all the rooms and the gardens used as locations. Hy Hazell lived in the mansion during the shoot to save hotel costs. The film cost about £13,000. The same mansion was used for The Adventures of P.C. 49 (1949) and Doctor Morelle: The Case of the Missing Heiress (1949).

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,016

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