Clue of the Twisted Candle *** (1960, Bernard Lee, David Knight, Francis de Wolff, A J Brown, Richard Caldicot, Richard Vernon) – Classic Movie Review 13,179

The gripping 1960 British Edgar Wallace Mystery second feature crime drama film Clue of the Twisted Candle stars Bernard Lee, David Knight and Francis de Wolff.

Director Allan Davis’s gripping, appealing and likeable 1960 British Edgar Wallace Mystery second feature crime drama film Clue of the Twisted Candle stars Bernard Lee, David Knight, Francis de Wolff, and features A J Brown, Richard Caldicot, Richard Vernon and Gladys Henson. It is one of the series of 48 Edgar Wallace Mysteries films made at Merton Park Studios from 1960 to 1965.

David Knight plays the devious and dodgy John Lexman, who is sent to prison, after being tricked by his partner in crime, the much hated Greek blackmailer Karadis. Lexman escapes from jail, and later Karadis is found murdered in a sealed room with no windows and a steel lined door that locks only from the inside.

Clue of the Twisted Candle is a complex, satisfying old-fashioned murder mystery, Conan Doyle-style, with an excellent screenplay by Philip Mackie, solidly based on the 1918 Edgar Wallace novel The Clue of the Twisted Candle, with Bernard Lee showcased in an extremely sprightly and keen performance as the dogged, do-gooding Scotland Yard Superintendent Meredith. David Knight as John Lexman and Francis de Wolff as Ramon Karadis are both excellent too, with plenty to do as the suave and slimy villains. A J Brown, Richard Caldicot, Richard Vernon and Gladys Henson all have nice, quirky little character support turns. It is confidently and expertly handled by director Allan Davis. Old-style mystery fans are well catered for.

The cast are Bernard Lee as Superintendent Meredith, David Knight as John Lexman, Francis de Wolff as Ramon Karadis, Colette Wilde as Grace, Christine Shaw as Linda Buckland, Stanley Morgan as Sergeant Anson, A J Brown as Commissioner of Police, Richard Caldicot as Fisher, Edmond Bennett as manservant, Simon Lack as Jock, Anthony Baird as Sergeant Butterfield, Gladys Henson as landlady, Alfred Maron as Finch, Richard Vernon as Viney, Harry Locke as Amis, Roy Purcell as Brennan, Kenneth Fortescue as Secretary, C.I.D, and Hazel Hughes as Miss Cunningham.

Clue of the Twisted Candle is directed by Allan Davis, runs 61 minutes, is made by Merton Park Studios, is distributed by Anglo-Amalgamated is written by Philip Mackie, based on the novel The Clue of the Twisted Candle by Edgar Wallace, is produced by Jack Greenwood and Jim O’Connolly, is shot in black and white by Brian Rhodes, is scored by Francis Chagrin.

Release date: September 1960.

John Bernard Lee (10 January 1908 – 16 January 1981)

Bernard Lee featured in 11 James Bond films from 1962 to 1979 as Bond’s superior M. He plays Superintendent Meredith in the Edgar Wallace Mysteries Clue of the Twisted Candle (1960), Clue of the Silver Key (1961) and The Share Out (1962), but he plays Inspector Mann in Partners in Crime (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)
• The 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 13,179

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