Double Exposure * (1954, John Bentley, Rona Anderson, Garry Marsh) – Classic Movie Review 12,879

John Gilling’s 1954 crime film Double Exposure stars John Bentley and Rona Anderson. It is a stiff-jointed Fifties British B-thriller from the prolific Robert S Baker – Monty Berman production team, but it has some nice actors and a little period charm. 

Director John Gilling’s 1954 crime film Double Exposure stars John Bentley and Rona Anderson and Garry Marsh. It is a desultory, stiff-jointed Fifties British B-thriller from the prolific Robert S Baker – Monty Berman production team.

Bentley gives a dull star turn as Pete Fleming, the investigating detective, in this routine tale of a shady bookie suspected of foul deeds and faking a suicide. The plot involves a businessman’s wife’s death and a woman photographer called Barbara Leyland (Anderson) who innocently took pictures of their house and pictured the murder scene, and is now in mortal danger.

Double Exposure is a stodgily made story with a plot so thin that it is not enough to fill even its allotted hour raises only fitful interest in this quickly churned out movie, shot in three weeks, not helped by the poor production with cheap-looking sets.

However, the initial set-up is strong and striking, while Rona Anderson, Garry Marsh and Alexander Gauge are welcome, entertaining presences and help to fill out some of the empty spaces. Plus there is a notable score by John Lanchbery, and a lot of now interesting period detail in the location backgrounds in Kensington and Chelsea, London. It has just a little period charm.

The screenplay is by John Gilling, based on an original story by John Roddick.

The interiors were shot in the studio at Southall Studios, Southall, Middlesex, England, UK.

Also in the cast are Ingeborg Wells [Ingeborg von Kusserow], John Horsley, Doris Hare, Eric Berry, Ryck Rydon, Frank Forsyth, Ronan O’Casey, Alan Robinson, Sally Newton, Rita Webb, and Ronald Leigh-Hunt, George Roderick, Patrick Jordan, Joe Wadham, Margot Bryant, and Richard Neller.

Release date: 29 March 1954.

Double Exposure is directed by John Gilling, runs 61 minutes, is made by Kenilworth Film Productions and Mid-Century Film Productions, is released by General Film Distributors, is written by John Gilling, based on an original story by John Roddick, is shot in black and white by Monty Berman, is produced by Robert S Baker and  Monty Berman, is scored by John Lanchbery, and is designed by Wilfred Arnold.

The cast are John Bentley as Pete Fleming, Rona Anderson as Barbara Leyland, Garry Marsh as Beaumont, Alexander Gauge as Denis Clayton, Ingeborg Wells [Ingeborg von Kusserow] as Maxine Golder, John Horsley as Lamport, Doris Hare as Woman Police Sergeant, Eric Berry as Mike Gerraty, Frank Forsyth as Inspector Grayle, Ronan O’Casey as Trickson, Ryck Rydon as Trixon, Alan Robinson as Photography Expert, Sally Newton Rita Webb Ronald Leigh-Hunt, George Roderick P,atrick Jordan, Joe Wadham, Margot Bryant, and Richard Neller.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 12,879

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