Police Dog ** (1955, Joan Rice, Tim Turner, Sandra Dorne, Charles Victor, John le Mesurier, Christopher Lee) – Classic Movie Review 13,485

The 1955 British second feature crime film Police Dog stars Joan Rice, Tim Turner and Sandra Dorne, plus Rex III as the dog.

Writer/ director Derek Twist’s 1955 British second feature crime film Police Dog stars Joan Rice, Tim Turner and Sandra Dorne, plus Rex III as the dog, along with Charles Victor, John le Mesurier and Christopher Lee.

The title tells it all. Police Dog is a modest and humble British B-picture, in which London constable Frank Mason (Tim Turner) volunteers to become a dog-handler, befriends a trained stray Alsatian dog called Rex, and sets him to sniff out the killer of his friend and colleague, shot by a burglar while they were giving chase. Rex upsets Frank’s happy home life with his now resentful girlfriend Pat (Joan Rice), the daughter of Frank’s landlady Mrs Lewis (Nora Gordon), though Pat has suggested it in the first place.

Tim Turner and Joan Rice give mild but pleasant lead performances, the often comedic actor John le Mesurier has a serious role as the CID inspector, and a pre-stardom Christopher Lee plays Police Constable Johnny, a character so unimportant that the writer just called him ‘Man’ in the script.

It was shot at National Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, and on location.

Release date: May 1955 (UK).

Hilariously, the police dog Rex III receives an ‘introducing’ credit.

Joan Rice

Joan Rice (3 February 1930 – 1 January 1997) was one of the Rank Organisation’s near-top stars in the Fifties. She was discovered working as a waitress in a Lyons Corner House in London, where she was crowned Miss Lyons 1949, and later trained at Rank’s charm school. And so did Christopher Lee.

Tim Turner

Tim Turner (7 September 1924 – 1987) was married to actress Patricia Plunkett from 1951 until her death in 1974. Turner narrated most of Rank’s Look at Life series between 1959 and 1963. Plunkett appeared in 12 films. Both had fair careers but never became major stars.

The cast

The cast are Joan Rice as Pat Lewis, Tim Turner as Frank Mason, Sandra Dorne as the Blonde, Charles Victor as Sergeant, Rex III as the dog, Nora Gordon as Mrs Lewis, Cecil Brock as crook, John Le Mesurier as CID inspector, James Gilbert [Jimmy Gilbert] as Police Constable Lade, Christopher Lee as Police Constable Johnny, Garard Green Police Sergeant at Break-in, Ian Fleming as Gentleman Walking His Dog on the heath, John Warren as Clerk of Works, Norman Mitchell as Vet, Phyllis Morris, Gay Cameron, and Michael Scott [Mickey Scott].

Police Dog is directed by Derek Twist, runs 72 minutes, is made by Douglas Fairbanks Productions (as Westridge Fairbanks), is released by Eros Films (UK), is written by Derek Twist, is shot in black and white by Cedric Williams, is produced by Douglas Fairbanks Jr and Harold Huth, and is scored by Bretton Byrd.

RIP Sir Christopher Lee (1922–2015).

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,485

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