Doss House *** (1933, Frank Cellier, Arnold Bell, Herbert Franklyn) – Classic Movie Review 12,338

Bunks in a Seven Cent Lodging House around 1890.

Director John Baxter’s 1933 film Doss House is a surprising British Thirties social-conscience crime thriller melodrama movie, starring Frank Cellier, Arnold Bell and Herbert Franklyn.

It gains marks for its realistic doss-house background and for wearing its heart on its sleeve.

Screen-writer Herbert Ayres concocts an interesting story in which a convict is caught when editor Frank Cellier’s newsman reporter Arnold Bell and police detective Herbert Franklyn pretend to be tramps.

Talented director Baxter does well but maybe Chaplin could have made it work even better.

It was made as a quota quickie at Shepperton Studios.

Baxter remade the film as The Common Touch In 1941.

The cast are Frank Cellier as Editor, Arnold Bell as Reporter, Herbert Franklyn as Detective, Mark Daly as Shoeblack, Edgar Driver as Catsmeat Man, Hubert Leslie as Murderer, Wilson Coleman as Strangler, and Robert MacLachlan as Doctor.

A doss house (or flop house in American English) is a place that offers very low-cost lodging, providing space to sleep and minimal amenities.

Doss House is directed by John Baxter, runs 53 minutes, is made by Sound City, is released by MGM, is writtten by Herbert Ayres, is shot by George Stretton, is produced by John Baxter and Ivar Campbell, and scored by Colin Wark.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,338

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