Solo for Sparrow **½ (1962, Glyn Houston, Anthony Newlands, Nadja Regin, Michael Coles, Allan Cuthbertson, Michael Caine) – Classic Movie Review 13,173

Glyn Houston stars as the titular Inspector Sparrow investigating a jewel heist and murder most foul in director Gordon Flemyng’s 1962 British B-movie Solo for Sparrow, another enjoyable Edgar Wallace filler thriller, based on his 1928 novel The Gunner.

The 1962 British Edgar Wallace Mystery crime film Solo for Sparrow features Glyn Houston, Anthony Newlands, Nadja Regin, Michael Coles, Allan Cuthbertson, and Michael Caine, and Michael Caine in a supporting role. Glyn Houston’s police detective investigates a gang’s night-time heist on the safe of an English provincial jeweller’s shop, in the wake of which its innocent middle-aged cashier, who locked up and had the keys, was found dead, accidentally killed while the crooks were stealing the keys from her.

The decent cast, with the added bonus of a just pre-stardom appearance by Michael Caine as a young Irish crook called Paddy Mooney, is the main reason to watch, along with the decent Wallace mystery thriller story. It’s quite robust and dark-toned, especially  for a film with a U certificate. People are killed quite casually, without hesitation or remorse, by the crooks and the cop. Quietly reliable actor Glyn Houston plays Sparrow as friendly and trustworthy, but he’s actually quite deadly. He’s got the main part, and holds the centre firm and steady, but top-billed Anthony Newlands is nice and creepy as the dodgy jeweller’s shop owner. Michael Coles is solid as the other main character, the gang boss. Jack May has one nice little scene as another copper, ditto Murray Melvin as a wire-tapper. They have so little do, it’s frustrating, also Michael Caine, but they do it well. And that is Benedict Cumberbatch’s mum, Wanda Ventham, as waitress.

It is highly commendable that it covers a heck of a lot of ground in just under an hour, with plenty of plot and offbeat characters to maintain interest. There’s plenty of outside filming, which is a huge advantage for realism and period nostalgia value. Gordon Flemyng manages some sinister scenes, keeps up a good pace, and handles the action finish capably.

The cast are Glyn Houston as Inspector Sparrow, Anthony Newlands as Reynolds, Nadja Regin as Mrs Reynolds, Michael Coles as ‘Pin’ Norman, Allan Cuthbertson as Chief Superintendent Symington, Ken Wayne as Baker, Jerry Stovin as Lewis, Jack May as Inspector Hudson, Murray Melvin as Larkin, Peter Thomas as Bell Michael Caine as Paddy Mooney, Neil McCarthy as Dusty, Susan Maryott as Sue Warren, William Gaunt as Detective Sergeant Reeve, Nancy O’Neil as Miss Martin, Yvonne Buckingham as Jenny, Bartlett Mullins as Mr Walters, Wanda Ventham as waitress, and Eric Dodson as Dr Wolfson.

Michael Coles  (12 August 1936 – 26 April 2005) also stars in the Edgar Wallace films Never Mention Murder (1964) and Man Detained (1961). His film roles also include Dracula AD 1972 (1972), The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973), and Sweeney! (1977).

English screenwriter Roger Marshall (15 March 1934 – 1 April 2020) was co-creator of the TV series Public Eye (1965 to 1975) starring Alfred Burke.

Solo for Sparrow is directed by Gordon Flemyng, runs 56 minutes, is made by Merton Park Studios, is released by Anglo-Amalgamated  Film Distributors (UK), is written by Roger Marshall, based on the novel The Gunner by Edgar Wallace, is shot in black and white by Bert Mason, is produced by Jack Greenwood, is scored by Bernard Ebbinghouse, and designed by Peter Mullins.

When it was released in America in 1966, Caine’s name was promoted above the title to cash in on his new fame. He’s barely in the film. Nor is Allan Cuthbertson who gets guest star billing as Chief Superintendent Symington. The decorative Nadja Regin is featured prominently on the poster, but also has little to do as Mrs Reynolds, though she is nice and sinister when she is on screen.

Gordon Flemyng (7 March 1934 – 12 July 1995) was the father of actor Jason Flemyng. He directed two Edgar Wallace Mysteries – Solo for Sparrow (1962) and Five to One (1963) – and the two Dalek feature films, Dr Who and the Daleks (1965) and Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 AD (1966). He also directed The Split (1968), with Jim Brown, Ernest Borgnine and Gene Hackman, Great Catherine (1968) starring Peter O’Toole, Zero Mostel, Jeanne Moreau and Jack Hawkins, and the British war film The Last Grenade (1970).

The Edgar Wallace Mysteries

There were 48 films in the British second-feature film series The Edgar Wallace Mysteries, produced at Merton Park Studios for Anglo-Amalgamated and released in cinemas between 1960 and 1965.

• Urge to Kill (March 1960)
• Clue of the Twisted Candle (September 1960)
• The Malpas Mystery (October 1960)
• Marriage of Convenience (November 1960)
• The Man Who Was Nobody (December 1960)
• Partners in Crime (February 1961)
• The Clue of the New Pin (February 1961)
• The Fourth Square (June 1961)
• Man at the Carlton Tower (July 1961)
• Clue of the Silver Key (August 1961)
• Attempt to Kill (September 61)
• Man Detained (October 1961)
• Never Back Losers (December 1961)
• The Sinister Man (December 1961)
• Backfire! (February 1962)
• Candidate for Murder (February 1962)
• Flat Two (February 1962)
• The Share Out (February 1962)
• Number Six (April 1962)
• Time to Remember (July 1962)
• Solo for Sparrow (September 1962)
• Playback (September 1962)
• Locker Sixty-Nine (September 1962)
• Death Trap (October 1962)
• The Set Up (January 1963)
• Incident at Midnight (January 1963)
• The £20,000 Kiss (January 1963)
• On the Run (February 1963)
• Return to Sender (March 1963)
• Ricochet (March 1963)
• The Double (April 1963)
• To Have and to Hold (July 1963)
• The Partner (September 1963)
• Accidental Death (November 1963)
• Five to One (December 1963)
• Downfall (January 1964)
• The Verdict (February 1964)
• We Shall See (April 1964)
• The Rivals (May 1964)
• Who Was Maddox? (June 1964)
• Face of a Stranger (September 1964)
• Act of Murder (September 1964)
• Never Mention Murder (November 1964)
• The Main Chance (November 1964)
• Game for Three Losers (April 1965)
• Change Partners (July 1965)
• Strangler’s Web (August 1965)
• Dead Man’s Chest (October 1965)
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