Kill or Cure * (1962, Terry-Thomas, Eric Sykes, Dennis Price) – Classic Movie Review 11,142

Director George Pollock’s 1962 black and white film Kill or Cure stars Terry-Thomas and Eric Sykes as the seedy private investigator Captain Jeroboam ‘Jerry’ Barker-Rynde, PI and his crime-solving assistant Rumbelow.

It has two superb comedy stars and a choice British cast of treasured comics, but even such a great cast cannot really enliven this static comedy murder mystery about a daft part-time private investigator detective being hired by a batty old woman to go undercover and chase a poison killer of wealthy widows at the Green Glades health-cure spa in the country, run by Dr Julian Crossley (Dennis Price). Barker-Rynde links up with the obsessive physical fitness organiser Rumbelow to solve the crime.

It sounds promising enough, but both the performances and the handling are surprisingly limp and lifeless, and, sad to say, there are hardly any laughs whatsoever. It fails to take either the comedy or the murder mystery seriously enough.

The cast are Terry-Thomas as J ‘Jerry’ Barker-Rynde, PI, Eric Sykes as Rumbelow, Dennis Price as Dr Julian Crossley, Lionel Jeffries as Det. Insp. Hook, Moira Redmond as Francis Roitman, Clifford’s Secretary, Katya Douglas as Rita, Green Glades Nurse, David Lodge as Richards, Nurse, Ronnie Barker as Burton, Hook’s Assistant, Hazel Terry as Mrs Rachel Crossley, Derren Nesbitt as Roger Forrester, Harry Locke as Riggins, Arthur Howard as Green Glades Desk Clerk, Tristram Jellinek as Assistant Clerk, Peter Butterworth as Green Glades Barman, Patricia Hayes as Lily the Waitress, Julian Orchard as PC Lofthouse, Anna Russell, Tristram Jellinek, and Mandy Miller.

It is written by David Pursall (story and screenplay) and Jack Seddon (story and screenplay), seeming unofficially to borrow a murder plot from Agatha Christie.

It is the only feature film appearance by Anna Russell (as Mrs Clifford), known for her hilarious comedy recordings and concert show.

It was filmed mainly at Aldenham House in Elstree, Hertfordshire, England, in the summer of 1961 but also at MGM British Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.

It was a small hit, with MGM records saying the film made a profit of $89,000.

British film director George Pollock (March 27, 1907 – December 22, 1979) is best known for bringing Agatha Christie’s detective Miss Marple to the big screen for the first time, in four films starring Margaret Rutherford.

Aldenham House is used for many of the inside shots, along with the surrounding park land for the holiday chalets. When the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School moved into a new school built on the rest of the site, relocating from Hampstead, in September 1961, filming was still taking place. The house became the school administrative centre, with their reception where the hotel reception is in the film.

The Crossleys’ Great Dane dog Junia was trained by Barbara Woodhouse and appeared as John Steed’s pet in TV’s The Avengers.

Kill or Cure is directed by George Pollock, runs 88 minutes, is made by George H. Brown Productions and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer British Studios, is released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1962) (UK) and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1962) (US), is written by David Pursall (story and screenplay) and Jack Seddon (story and screenplay), is shot in black and white by Geoffrey Faithfull, is produced by George H Brown and Lawrence Bachmann, and scored by Ron Goodwin.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,142

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