Poison Pen *** (1939, Flora Robson, Reginald Tate, Robert Newton, Ann Todd) – Classic Movie Review 13,107

Reginald Tate, Flora Robson and Ann Todd in Poison Pen (1939).

The skilful 1939 British drama film Poison Pen is adapted from the 1937 stage play by Richard Llewellyn, and stars Flora Robson, Reginald Tate, Robert Newton, and Ann Todd.

Director Paul L Stein’s skilful 1939 British drama film Poison Pen is adapted from the 1937 stage play by Richard Llewellyn, and stars Flora Robson, Reginald Tate, Robert Newton, and Ann Todd.

Who is writing the nasty anonymous poison-pen letters that inflame the passions in a picturesque quiet rural vicarage village called Hilldale?

Among the suspects are the vicar Reverend Rider and his sister Mary (Reginald Tate and Flora Robson), suicidal frock-sewer Connie Fateley (Catherine Lacey), workman Sam Hurrin (Robert Newton), his sexy wife Sucal (Belle Chrystall) and severe-seeming Ann Rider (Ann Todd), all looking as if butter wouldn’t melt in their mouths.

The worthy cast motor along nicely in an eye-catching and skilfully handled, if small-scale piece of British village drama, rather like an Agatha Christie mystery thriller without the murder.

The cast are Flora Robson as Mary Rider, Reginald Tate as the Reverend Rider, Ann Todd as Ann Rider, Robert Newton as Sam Hurrin, Belle Chrystall as Sucal Hurrin, Geoffrey Toone as David, Catherine Lacey as Connie Fateley, Edward Chapman as Len Griffin, Edward Rigby as Badham, Cyril Chamberlain as Peter Cashelton, Athole Stewart as Colonel Cashelton, Mary Hinton as Mrs Cashelton, Wally Patch as Mr Suggs, Ella Retford as Mrs Suggs, Wilfrid Hyde-White as postman, Esma Cannon as Mrs Warren, Marjorie Rhodes as Mrs Scaife, Beatrice Varley as Mrs Jenkins, Roddy Hughes as graphologist, Megs Jenkins as barmaid, Roddy McDowall as choirboy, Peter Murray Hill, Merle Tottenham, and Kenneth Connor in his film debut as a post office boy.

Poison Pen is directed by Paul L Stein, runs 79 minutes, is made by Associated British Picture Corporation, is released by Associated British-Pathé, is written by Doreen Montgomery, William Freshman, N C Hunter and Esther McCracken, is shot in black and white by Phil Tannura, is produced by Walter C Mycroft, and is scored by Harry Acres.

Llewellyn wrote the play shortly before his famous novels How Green Was My Valley and None But the Lonely Heart. It premiered in Richmond, West London, on 9 August 1937. A revised West End production opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre on 9 April 1938, moved to the Playhouse in July and then the Garrick in August, closing on 10 September. It ran a total of 176 performances. In the film, Flora Robson and Reginald Tate take over the star roles played on stage by Margaret Yarde and Walter Fitzgerald.

The film was shot at Associated British’s Elstree Studios and opened in London on 4 July 1939.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,107

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