The Ringer **** (1931, Patric Curwen, Esmond Knight, John Longden, Carol Goodner, Esmond Knight, Gordon Harker, Franklin Dyall) – Classic Movie Review 10,845

Esmond Knight and Carol Goodner in The Ringer (1931).

Director Walter Forde’s 1931 The Ringer is an excellent early-sound black and white film version of the Edgar Wallace 1925 novel The Gaunt Stranger and 1929 play The Ringer, with a fine cast on its best form (including Patric Curwen in the key role of Dr Lomond, John Longden in his usual casting as the inspector, Esmond Knight, Gordon Harker and Franklin Dyall).

A super crook and master of disguises called The Ringer comes home to Britain to avenge himself on Maurice Meister (Franklin Dyall), the dangerous criminal ex-partner solicitor whom he holds responsible for his secretary’s death. Inspector Wenbury (John Longden) of Scotland Yard is deputed to capture the elusive Ringer before he is able to murder Meister.

Fast moving and tense throughout, The Ringer is still rousing stuff, handled with exuberant skill by director Forde, who remade it in 1938 as The Gaunt Stranger.

It is made at Beaconsfield Studios, Buckinghamshire.

Previously filmed as the silent film The Ringer in 1928.

There are four subsequent versions: The Ringer [Der Hexer] in 1932, The Gaunt Stranger in 1938, The Ringer in 1952  and Der Hexer in 1964.

The screenplay by Robert Stevenson, Angus MacPhail and Sidney Gilliat is based on Edgar Wallace’s 1925 novel The Gaunt Stranger and 1929 play The Ringer.

Also in the cast are Carol Goodner, Dorothy Bartlam, Henry Hallatt, Arthur Stratton, Kathleen Joyce, Eric Stanley, Clifford Buckton and Alexander Knox.

The Ringer is directed by Walter Forde, runs 75 minutes, is made by British Lion Film Corporation and Gainsborough Pictures, is released by Ideal Films (1931) (UK) and First Division Pictures (1932) (US), is written by Robert Stevenson, Angus MacPhail and Sidney Gilliat (additional dialogue), based on Edgar Wallace’s 1925 novel The Gaunt Stranger and 1929 play The Ringer, is shot in black and white by Leslie Rowson (director of photography) and Alex Bryce, is produced by Edgar Wallace (executive producer) and Michael Balcon, and designed by Norman G Arnold (designer).

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,845

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