The Paper Gallows [Torment] (1950, Dermot Walsh, Rona Anderson, John Bentley) – Classic Movie Review 13,413

John Guillermin’s 1950 British second feature crime thriller film The Paper Gallows [Torment] stars Dermot Walsh, Rona Anderson and John Bentley. 

‘YOU’LL NEVER FORGET THIS TERRIFIC BRITISH THRILLER and THIS SCENE will hold you SPELLBOUND!’

‘The THRILL of THRILLS! You’ll GRIP YOUR SEAT with EXCITEMENT!’

Writer/ director John Guillermin’s 1950 British second feature crime thriller film The Paper Gallows [Torment] stars Dermot Walsh, Rona Anderson and John Bentley.

Dermot Walsh and John Bentley play murder mystery writer brothers Cliff and Jim Brandon. Cliff commits a murder of a vagrant to experience the thrill for his writing and attempts to frame his secretary Joan (Rona Anderson) for the crime. Both brothers are in love with Joan, but she loves Jim.

It is the first sole director credit for John Guillermin, who persuaded Adelphi Films (UK) it was a good idea, but later rightly called the film ‘a lemon’. This is a truly rotten idea for a film, written in three weeks and shot in another three weeks on an elaborate set that was being torn down.

With their silly posh accents, and their daft dialogue, Dermot Walsh and John Bentley are really bad, Rona Anderson is not good, and the overwrought film is spectacularly, quite unbelievably awful, with the well-intentioned attempts at directorial style merely adding to the film’s lack of credibility and entertainment value. It might just be good for a few laughs as a so-bad-it’s-good movie. To be fair, the film’s only three other performances – from Michael Martin Harvey as Curley Wilson, Valentine Dunn as Mrs Crier, and Dilys Laye as Violet Crier – are at least as bad, though they are at least meant to be comedic.

Its only claim to fame is that The Paper Gallows [Torment] is depicted on the book cover of the British ‘B’ Film by Steve Chibnall and Brian McFarlane (2009).

It premiered in London on 3 February 1950 but was rejected for distribution by the main British cinema circuits. But it had a US release as Torment on 10 November 1950.

The cast

The cast are Dermot Walsh as Cliff Brandon, Rona Anderson as Joan, John Bentley as Jim Brandon, Michael Martin Harvey as Curley Wilson, Valentine Dunn as Mrs Crier, and Dilys Laye as Violet Crier.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,413

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