Chase a Crooked Shadow *** (1958, Richard Todd, Anne Baxter, Herbert Lom, Faith Brook, Alexander Knox) – Classic Movie Review 13,238

Michael Anderson’s playful 1958 British suspense thriller film Chase a Crooked Shadow stars Richard Todd, Anne Baxter and Herbert Lom.

Director Michael Anderson’s playful 1958 British black and white suspense thriller film Chase a Crooked Shadow stars Richard Todd, Anne Baxter, Herbert Lom, Faith Brook, and Alexander Knox.

Anne Baxter came to Britain to play Kimberly Prescott, a South African diamond company heiress, victim of a plot to cheat her out of her inheritance, in this well acted, ingenious if implausible Hitchcockian thriller, set on Spain’s Costa Brava. Richard Todd co-stars as a detective who claims to be her supposedly deceased brother returned to pick up the money.

Artificial and contrived maybe, but it is pretty good, suspense-packed fun throughout, with neat star turns, plus fine support, especially from Herbert Lom as the police chief, a handsome production and satisfyingly professional handling. The satisfyingly intricate tale, scripted by David D Osborn and Charles Sinclair, originated in a 1954 Columbia TV programme.

The story The Prescott Affair was optioned by the Dragon Films company of heiress Pamela Woolworth and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Dragon Films changed the title, developed the film story and script, and won finance from the Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC), so the production company became Associated Dragon Films and this was their first production.

The cast are Richard Todd as Ward McKenzie Prescott Jr, Anne Baxter as Kimberley Prescott, Herbert Lom as Inspector Vargas, Faith Brook as Elaine Whitman, Alexander Knox as Chandler Bridson, Alan Tilvern as Carlos, and Thelma D’Aguilar as Maria.

It is narrated by Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

Filming started in May 1957. Some exteriors were shot in Tamariu and Palamos on the Costa Brava.

It premiered in London on 16 January 1958.

The guitar music is played by Julian Bream.

Chase a Crooked Shadow is directed by Michael Anderson, runs 87 minutes, is made by Associated Dragon Films, is released by Associated British-Pathé UK) and Warner Bros. (US), is written by David D Osborn and Charles Sinclair, is shot in black and white by Erwin Hillier, is produced by Douglas Fairbanks Jr and Thomas Clyde, is scored by Mátyás Seiber, and is designed by Paul Sheriff.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,238

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