The Secret of Blood Island ** (1965, Jack Hedley, Barbara Shelley, Patrick Wymark, Charles Tingwell, Bill Owen, Lee Montague) – Classic Movie Review 8713

Director Quentin Lawrence’s 1964 The Secret of Blood Island is a Hammer Films World War Two adventure movie that follows British secret agent Elaine (Barbara Shelley) on a mission to a concentration camp in enemy-occupied Malaya in the September of 1944.

This belated sequel to Hammer’s 1958 The Camp on Blood Island is a spicy and entertaining, but utterly brainless action-feature exploitation film, with an exploitative plot that most films would be ashamed of.

Nevertheless, strong performances help save the day.

Also in the cast are Jack Hedley, Charles Tingwell, Bill Owen, Lee Montague, Patrick Wymark, Edwin Richfield, Philip Latham, Glyn Houston, Michael Ripper, Ian Whittaker, John Southworth, David Saire, Peter Graze, Peter Welch and Henry Davies.

The Secret of Blood Island is directed by Quentin Lawrence, runs 85 minutes, is made by Hammer Films, released by Rank Film Distributors (1965) (UK) and Universal Pictures (1965) (US), written by John Gilling, shot in Technicolor by Jack Asher, produced by Anthony Nelson Keys, scored by James Bernard and designed by Bernard Robinson.

Though the film is shot in Technicolor, American theatrical prints were in black and white.

It was shot at Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, and at Black Park, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire.

Michael Ripper (1913 – 2000), who plays Lt Tojoko, began a 25-year association with Hammer Films with a role in The Dark Road [There Is No Escape] (1948) and ended with That’s Your Funeral (1972), making 35 appearances as innkeepers, coachmen, gravediggers, poachers etc, more than any other actor.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8713

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