Flat Two *** (1962, John Le Mesurier, Jack Watling, Bernard Archard, Ann Bell) – Classic Movie Review 13,172

The British second feature mystery thriller film Flat Two is a tremendous Edgar Wallace Mystery series episode, with a very nifty, tricksy, quite complex plot, excellent dialogue, good characters and great character actors.

Director Alan Cooke’s 1962 British second feature mystery thriller film Flat Two stars John Le Mesurier, Jack Watling, Bernard Archard, Ann Bell. The screenplay is written by Lindsay Galloway, based on the 1924 story by Edgar Wallace, and the film is part of Edgar Wallace Mystery series, produced at Merton Park Studios for Anglo-Amalgamated from 1960 to 1965.

A blackmail victim’s boyfriend sneaks into the crooked casino owner blackmailer’s flat to sort him out, or the situation out anyway. But another man is already there in Flat Two, looking for a stash of cash that should be in the safe behind the picture but isn’t. Neither realises that the crook has been murdered before they got there. The police soon arrive, tipped off in advance.

Ah the days of polite policemen! Flat Two (1962) is a tremendous episode, with a very nifty, tricksy, quite complex plot, excellent dialogue, good characters and great character actors, and their performances are outstanding, quite mesmerising. What more is needed?

Ann Bell is the sole female in the cast as the rather dizzy posh heroine Susan, who stupidly, carelessly and thoughtlessly racks up £10,000 in casino gambling debts, leaving her boyfriend to sort things out. David Bauer plays the crooked casino owner Emil Louba, who is found murdered in his London flat. The two suspects are architect Frank Leamington, whose fiancée Susan owed Louba money and Charles Berry, who had a grudge against him. Leamington is arrested, and is defended in court by barrister Warden.

Bernard Archard as Trainer and Campbell Singer as Hurley Brown are tremendous as the civilised, thoughtful officers of the law. Charles Lloyd Pack is excellent as the creepy, dodgy apartment porter Miller. But the film belongs to John Le Mesurier as the canny barrister Warden. It’s so nice to see him in a main role like this, and he fills all the screen’s spaces with his usual quiet wit and grace.

Cast: John Le Mesurier as Warden, Jack Watling as Frank Leamington, Bernard Archard as Trainer, Barry Keegan as Charles Berry, Ann Bell as Susan, Campbell Singer as Hurley Brown, Charles Lloyd Pack as Miller, David Bauer as Louba, Russell Waters as clerk of court, George Bishop as judge, Gerald Sim as doorman, André Mikhelson as 1st croupier, Monti De Lyle as 2nd croupier, Adrian Oker as waiter, Gordon Phillott as waiter, and John Wilder as doorman.

Flat Two is directed by Alan Cooke, runs 60 minutes, is made by Merton Park Studios, is distributed by Anglo Amalgamated, is written by Lindsay Galloway, based on story by Edgar Wallace, is shot in black and white by Bert Mason, is produced by Jack Greenwood, and is scored by Bernard Ebbinghouse.

Release date: February 1962.

Ann Bell was born on April 29, 1938 in Wallasey, Cheshire, England.

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 13,172Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com