Clue of the New Pin *** (1961, Paul Daneman, Bernard Archard, James Villiers, Katherine Woodville, David Horne) – Classic Movie Review 13,180

US first edition, Small, Maynard and Company, 1923.

The 1961 British crime film Clue of the New Pin is a well-done B-movie version of the Edgar Wallace thriller about a wealthy reclusive millionaire murdered by his greedy nephew, who kills again, and then tries to blame a TV journalist.

Director Allan Davis’s 1961 British second feature crime film Clue of the New Pin is a well-done B-movie version of the Edgar Wallace thriller about the wealthy reclusive millionaire John Trasmere (David Horne) murdered by his greedy nephew/ secretary Rex Lander (Paul Daneman), who kills again, and then tries to blame the smug and sneery TV journalist as Tab Holland (James Villiers) who’s interviewing him. The screenplay by Philip Mackie is based on the 1923 novel by Edgar Wallace.

Trasmere’s body is suspiciously found in his safe place, a cellar room which is a locked sealed vault with its only key mysteriously on the table next to it. A Scotland Yard inspector (Bernard Archard as Superintendent Carver) is doggedly on the case, but baffled both as to the killer’s identity and especially the key mystery. An old business associate called Ramsey Brown (Clive Morton) turns up to blackmail Rex Lander. TV journalist Tab Holland does some snooping of his own. Both Rex and Tab are beguiled by the charms of the seductive Jane Ardfern (Katherine Woodville), and want to marry her.

[Spoiler alert] Eventually Scotland Yard Superintendent and the TV personality (James Villiers as Tab Holland) rescue the seductive woman (Katherine Woodville as Jane Ardfern) from the killer in the nick of time.

It is of course very cheaply and quickly made, but it has a good, involving old-style mystery plot, a smooth, literate screenplay by Philip Mackie, and capable handling by Allan Davis, as well as a fine gallery of supercilious-sounding performers to give it some class. Paul Daneman, Bernard Archard, James Villiers, and David Horne give a masterclass in supercilious acting, each trying to outdo the others, all of them very good indeed. Alas Katherine Woodville is not required to do much except look alluring and play the victim.

It is one of the 48-film series of Edgar Wallace Mysteries films made at Merton Park Studios from 1960 to 1965.

It remakes the 1929 film The Clue of the New Pin with Benita Hume, Kim Peacock, Donald Calthrop and John Gielgud, which was Britain’s first all-talking feature film produced entirely in Britain. Directed by Arthur Maude, it was filmed in British Phototone, a sound-on-disc system using 12-inch discs, originally running around 80 minutes. The Clue of the New Pin is considered a lost film as no copies are known to exist today. However a rare 21-minute 9.5mm silent film fragment exists on You Tube:

A Rare 9.5mm Silent Film – The Clue of the New Pin 1929 (youtube.com)

Another version followed. Director Massimo Dallamano’s Italian Giallo thriller film What Have You Done to Solange? (1972) is also loosely based on the novel.

Allan Davis and writer Philip Mackie previously worked together on Clue of the Twisted Candle (1960).

Katherine Woodville is billed as ‘introducing’ under her real name of Catherine Woodville.

English film and TV actress Katherine Woodville (born Catherine Woodville; 12 March 1938 – 5 June 2013).

Katherine Woodville (born Catherine Woodville; 12 March 1938 – 5 June 2013) was married three times: first to The Avengers star Patrick Macnee (1965-69), then to American film and TV director Jerrold Freedman (1970-75), and finally to actor Edward Albert (1979-2006). She appeared in two episodes of The Avengers: Hot Snow (1961) and Propellant 23 (1962).

The cast are Paul Daneman as Rex Lander, Bernard Archard as Superintendent Carver, James Villiers as Tab Holland, Katherine Woodville as Jane Ardfern, Clive Morton as Ramsey Brown, Leslie Sands as Sergeant Harris, David Horne as John Trasmere, Ruth Kettlewell as Mrs Rushby, Wolfe Morris as Yeh Ling, Maudie Edwards as barmaid.

The Clue of the New Pin is directed by Allan Davis, runs 58 minutes, is made by Merton Park Studios, is distributed by Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors (UK), is written by Philip Mackie, based on the novel by Edgar Wallace, is shot in black and white by Bert Mason, is produced by Jack Greenwood, and is scored by Ron Goodwin (uncredited).

Release date: February 1961.

The Edgar Wallace Mysteries

There were 48 films in the British second-feature film series The Edgar Wallace Mysteries, produced at Merton Park Studios for Anglo-Amalgamated and released in cinemas between 1960 and 1965.

• Urge to Kill (March 1960)
• Clue of the Twisted Candle (September 1960)
• The Malpas Mystery (October 1960)
• Marriage of Convenience (November 1960)
• The Man Who Was Nobody (December 1960)
• Partners in Crime (February 1961)
• Clue of the New Pin (February 1961)
• The Fourth Square (June 1961)
• Man at the Carlton Tower (July 1961)
• Clue of the Silver Key (August 1961)
• Attempt to Kill (September 61)
• Man Detained (October 1961)
• Never Back Losers (December 1961)
• The Sinister Man (December 1961)
• Backfire! (February 1962)
• Candidate for Murder (February 1962)
• Flat Two (February 1962)
• The Share Out (February 1962)
• Number Six (April 1962)
• Time to Remember (July 1962)
• Solo for Sparrow (September 1962)
• Playback (September 1962)
• Locker Sixty-Nine (September 1962)
• Death Trap (October 1962)
• The Set Up (January 1963)
• Incident at Midnight (January 1963)
• The £20,000 Kiss (January 1963)
• On the Run (February 1963)
• Return to Sender (March 1963)
• Ricochet (March 1963)
• The Double (April 1963)
• To Have and to Hold (July 1963)
• The Partner (September 1963)
• Accidental Death (November 1963)
• Five to One (December 1963)
• Downfall (January 1964)
• The Verdict (February 1964)
• We Shall See (April 1964)
• The Rivals (May 1964)
• Who Was Maddox? (June 1964)
• Face of a Stranger (September 1964)
• Act of Murder (September 1964)
• Never Mention Murder (November 1964)
• The Main Chance (November 1964)
• Game for Three Losers (April 1965)
• Change Partners (July 1965)
• Strangler’s Web (August 1965)
• Dead Man’s Chest (October 1965).

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,180

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