Moss Rose *** (1947, Peggy Cummins, Victor Mature, Ethel Barrymore, Vincent Price, Margo Woode, Rhys Williams, George Zucco, Patricia Medina) – Classic Movie Review 8510

Director Gregory Ratoff’s 1947 Moss Rose stars Victor Mature in a smooth, old-style murder melodrama, set in Hollywood’s usual idea of old foggy London, in which he plays Michael Drego, who is suspected of killing a series of chorus girls.

Someone unknown is killing his lovers and leaving a bible and a compressed dried moss rose behind. Peggy Cummins also stars as Belle Adair, who puts herself in danger trying to solve the mystery behind her dancer friend’s murder.

A plethora of extravagant performances, impressive black and white cinematography by Joseph MacDonald and a pervasive turn-of-the-last-century London atmosphere enliven this thoroughly enjoyable, dark-hued mystery thriller hokum, based on the novel The Crime of Laura Saurelle by Joseph Shearing.

Welsh rose Peggy Cummins is a pert, pretty heroine, and Ethel Barrymore and Vincent Price are particularly sparky as Mature’s crazy old mum Lady Margaret Drego and the Scotland Yard copper Police Inspector R Clinner – even if it is odd casting for Price. And an equally oddly cast but effective Victor Mature gives a surprisingly mature performance as an English toff. It is equally hard to accept Barrymore as Mature’s mum, but somehow, it all works.

It also stars Margo Woode, Rhys Williams, George Zucco, and Patricia Medina.

Also in the cast are Norman Aisnley, Billy Bevan, Clifford Brooke, Leonard Carey, Russ Clark, Michael Dyne, Paul England, Al Ferguson, John Goldsworthy, Alec Harford, Sam Harris, Stuart Holmes, Colin Kenny, Connie Leon, Stanley Mann, Charles McNaughton, Tom Moore, Doreen Munroe, Patrick O’ Moore, Francis Pierlot, Felippa Rock, John Rogers, Carol Savage, Wallace Scott, Sally Shepherd, Gerald Oliver Smith, Phil Sudano, Basil Walker, Gilbert Wilson and Victor Wood.

Moss Rose is directed by Gregory Ratoff, runs 82 minutes, is made and released by 20th Century Fox, is written by Jules Furthman (adaptation), Tom Reed and Niven Busch, based on the novel The Crime of Laura Saurelle by Joseph Shearing, is shot in black and white by Joseph MacDonald, is produced by Gene Markey, is scored by David Buttolph and is designed by Richard Day.

RIP Peggy Cummins, who died on 29 December 2017, aged 92. Peggy Cummins was born on 18 December 1925 in Prestatyn, Denbighshire, Wales, as Augusta Margaret Diane Fuller. She was best known for Gun Crazy (1950) and Curse of the Demon (1957).

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8510

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