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

Paul Carpenter stars as a crime writer who finds himself accused of murder, and has to clear his name, in the 1956 British crime thriller film The Narrowing Circle. 

Director Charles Saunders’s 1956 British crime thriller film The Narrowing Circle stars Paul Carpenter, Hazel Court, Russell Napier and Ferdy Mayne.

Paul Carpenter plays Dave Nelson, a magazine’s crime writer, who is accused of murdering his rival to get a key job. 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.

Very competent acting by Canadian resident in Britain Paul Carpenter, Hazel Court as Rosemary Speed, and the rest of the cast enlivens this entertainingly, fairly ingenious, busily plotted British thriller, based on Julian Symons’s 1954 novel.

The Narrowing Circle runs only 66 minutes and is good of its humble kind.

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

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 Jimmy, Hugh Latimer as Charles Pears and James Booth 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.

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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