Dr Crippen *** (1963, Donald Pleasence, Samantha Eggar, Coral Browne, Donald Wolfit) – Classic Movie Review 5,917

Donald Pleasence is ideally cast in the 1963 British film Dr Crippen as the real-life Edwardian doctor Hawley Harvey Crippen, who was hanged in 1910 for the murder of his wife. But was he really guilty?

‘The crime of the century! Was he really guilty?’

Director Robert Lynn’s 1963 British biographical horror thriller film Dr Crippen finds Donald Pleasence is ideally cast as Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen, the mild English Edwardian doctor who killed his ghastly alcoholic shrewish wife Cora Crippen (Coral Browne) and attempted to flee by ship to America with his lover, trampy young secretary Ethel Le Neve (Samantha Eggar), masquerading as his son.

Though Pleasence is outstanding, this is a disappointingly ordinary film of the famous case. The fascinating real-life story does not get the imaginative script it deserves in Leigh Vance’s screenplay, and Lynn’s handling is very muted in an intriguing but unexciting film. What a film this could have been in the hands of a major writer and director!

However, the film is redeemed by being quite the showcase for a little feast of compelling acting, though, particularly from the highly involving Pleasence and Donald Wolfit as the Old Bailey trial prosecuting counsel R D Muir, but also from Browne and Eggar.

Also Nicolas Roeg’s distinguished black and white cinematography is worth noticing, too.

Also in the cast are James Robertson Justice, Geoffrey Toone, Elspeth March, Olga Lindo (in her final film, as Mrs Clara Arditti), Paul Carpenter as Bruce Martin, Basil Henson, John Arnatt, Edward Underdown, Oliver Johnston, Edward Ogden, Douglas Bradley-Smith, Betty Baskombe, Basil Beale, Ted Cast, Ian Whitaker, and John Lee.

[Spoiler alert] American homeopath, ear and eye specialist and medicine dispenser Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen was hanged in Pentonville Prison, London, on 23 November 1910 (aged 48) for poisoning his wife Cora Henrietta Crippen and dismembering her body. But the film seeks to put a clear doubt on whether it was a deliberate act of murder, though, and there is a strong suggestion that Ethel Le Neve is completely ignorant of the killing. The film sees Crippen claiming that his wife drove him to distraction and that her death was an accident. Crippen was the first criminal captured with the aid of wireless telegraphy.

Dr Crippen is directed by Robert Lynn, runs 98 minutes, is made Torchlight Productions, is released by Warner-Pathé Distributors. is written by Leigh Vance, is shot by Nicolas Roeg, is produced by John Clein, and is scored by Ken Jones.

Release date: 7 August 1963 (London).

The cast are Donald Pleasence as Dr Crippen, Coral Browne as Belle Elmore/ Cora Crippen, Samantha Eggar as Ethel Le Neve, Donald Wolfit as R D Muir, James Robertson Justice as Captain McKenzie, John Arnatt as Chief Inspector Dew, Paul Carpenter as Bruce Martin, Oliver Johnston as Lord Chief Justice, John Lee as Harry, Olga Lindo as Mrs Clara Arditti, Elspeth March as Mrs Jackson, Geoffrey Toone as Mr Tobin, Edward Underdown as the prison governor, Douglas Bradley-Smith as Dr Pepper, Hamilton Dyce as Dr Rogers, Basil Henson as Mr Arditti, Totti Truman Taylor as Miss Curnow, Edward Cast as Harding, Colin Rix as chemist, Edward Ogden, Betty Baskombe, Basil Beale, Ted Cast, Ian Whitaker, and John Lee.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5,917

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Paul Carpenter plays Bruce Martin.