Mystery Junction *** (1951, Sydney Tafler, Barbara Murray, Martin Benson, Patricia Owens, Christine Silver) – Classic Movie Review 10,048

Writer-director Michael McCarthy’s 1951 film Mystery Junction is an above-average British B-movie black and white thriller, inventively written and capably directed, and enthusiastically performed by the stalwart cast of actors, including Sydney Tafler, Barbara Murray, Patricia Owens, Martin Benson and Christine Silver.

Avid detective story reader Miss Owens (Christine Silver) is travelling in the same railway compartment as a well-known thriller novelist, crime writer Larry Gordon (Sydney Tafler). But also aboard the train is a prisoner under escort to trial for murder.

While the cops are taking Steve Harding (Martin Benson) by train to his murder trial, a rescue attempt aboard the train claims a policeman’s life, and he flees with a snatched gun.

Larry Gordon organises the rail travellers to probe the crime after the passengers become snowbound at a remote snow-swept railway station by night, which is the setting for more murder.

Other members of the cast are Philip Dale, David Davies, Pearl Cameron, John Salew, Charles Irwin, Ewen Solon, Denis Webb, Cyril Smith, Sidney Monckton and Stanley Rose.

Mystery Junction is directed by Michael McCarthy, run 67 minutes, is made by Merton Park Studios, is released by Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors (1951) (UK), is written by Michael McCarthy, is shot in black and white by Robert LaPresle [Bob Lapresle], is produced by William H Williams, and scored by Hubert Clifford [Michael Sarsfield], with Art Direction by George Haslam.

Believed to be lost for decades, it was released by Network Distributing on a Region 2 DVD in a new transfer from the original film elements in its theatrical aspect ratio on 17 April 2019.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,048

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com

Martin Benson, Barbara Murray and Sydney Tafler at gunpoint in Mystery Junction (1951).