The Narrowing Circle *** (1956, Paul Carpenter, Hazel Court, Russell Napier, Trevor Reid, Ferdy Mayne) – Classic Movie Review 12,219

Paul Carpenter stars as a crime writer who finds himself accused of murder and has to clear his name with the help of an alluring colleague (Hazel Court), in the entertaining 1956 British crime thriller B-film The Narrowing Circle. 

Director Charles Saunders’s 1956 British second feature crime thriller film The Narrowing Circle is written by Doreen Montgomery, based on the 1954 novel by Julian Symons, and stars Paul Carpenter, Hazel Court, Russell Napier, Trevor Reid and Ferdy Mayne.

Paul Carpenter plays Dave Nelson, a magazine’s crime writer, who is accused of murdering his rival (Ferdy Mayne as Bill Strayte) to get a key job as editor of a new magazine. So, when the body is found in his flat, he has to set out to show that he did not do it, even though he has not got an alibi. Well, he would have an alibi, but when he is passed over for the new magazine editor job in favour of Bill Strayte, whom Dave has just discovered enjoying the affections of his own girlfriend Laura Martin (Paula Byrne), Dave goes to a bar, gets drunk, meets a woman of ill repute named Christy (June Ashley), who checks him in to a fleabag hotel. The next morning, Dave wakes up alone in a room, finds his way home, and discovers Strayte lying dead on the floor of his flat.

Very competent, easy-going, good-natured acting by Canadian resident in Britain Paul Carpenter as the crime writer, Hazel Court as his ambitious rival Rosemary Speed, and the rest of the cast enlivens this entertainingly, fairly ingenious, busily plotted British thriller, based on esteemed British crime writer Julian Symons’s 1954 novel The Narrowing Circle, which has a trick up its sleeve in managing to conceal the identity of the killer effectively till the climax. Bill Strayte turns out to be the first of three murder victims, so it really is busily plotted.

The Narrowing Circle runs only 66 minutes and is good of its humble kind. There is plenty of plot and a fast pace, so it entertains easily. There are a few touches of humour, with a couple of comedic characters, but mostly it keeps sensibly to the crime thriller in hand. Paul Carpenter’s offbeat, low-key crumpled charm gets him through in a likeable performance, Hazel Court is alluring and pleasing company as Rosemary Speed, the fellow crime writer who helps and falls for the hero, Trevor Reid is amusing as the posh and supercilious police Inspector Crambo, and Russell Napier makes much of his role as the chilly publishing boss Sir Henry Dimmock. It’s only a shame that Ferdy Mayne gets killed off so early on as Bill Strayte.

Writers: Doreen Montgomery (screenplay) and Julian Symons (novel).

The cast

The cast are Paul Carpenter as Dave Nelson, Hazel Court as Rosemary Speed, Russell Napier as Sir Henry Dimmock, Trevor Reid as Inspector ‘Dumb’ Crambo, Paula Byrne as Laura Martin, June Ashley as Christy, Ferdy Mayne as Bill Strayte, Basil Dignam as George Pacey, Ronnie Stevens as the barman Jimmy, Hugh Latimer as Charles Pears, and James Booth  (uncredited) in a minor role.

The Narrowing Circle is directed by Charles Saunders, runs 66 minutes, is made by Fortress Film Productions, is released by Eros Films, is written by Doreen Montgomery, based on Julian Symons’s novel, is shot in black and white by Jonah Jones, is produced by Frank Bevis, and is scored by Reg Owen.

The sets are designed by Wilfred Arnold.

Paul Carpenter

Montreal-born Paul Carpenter made over three dozen British films in the post-war decades, most of them ‘B’ pictures, such as Diplomatic Passport (1954) and One Jump Ahead (1955). His final (uncredited) film appearance was in the 1964 film Goldfinger as an American General escorting James Bond. He was found dead alone in a dressing room at the Vaudeville Theatre, London, aged 42.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,219

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