Witness in the Dark ** (1959, Patricia Dainton, Conrad Phillips, Madge Ryan, Nigel Green) – Classic Movie Review 10,857

Director Wolf Rilla’s 1959 contrived but acceptable minor British crime drama Witness in the Dark stars Patricia Dainton, Conrad Phillips, Madge Ryan and Nigel Green, all good actors giving solid performances, and Rilla is a brisk, imaginative and confident director, able to handle and counteract the essential staginess of the piece.

Patricia Dainton stars as blind telephone operator Jane Pringle who happens to be on the scene when her elderly neighbour Mrs Temple (Enid Lorimer) is murdered by an intruder (Nigel Green) searching for a valuable bejewelled brooch. Jane brushes against the killer accidentally on the staircase. Jane then finds herself targeted by the prowler when she inherits the brooch.

Two of the actors stand out. Dainton gives a sleek, smooth and convincing performance and Green makes an excellent menacing villain.

The screenplay by Leigh Vance and John Lemont is based on an original play by James Parish.

The cast are Patricia Dainton as Jane Pringle, Conrad Phillips as Inspector Coates, Madge Ryan as Mrs Finch, Nigel Green as the Intruder, Enid Lorimer as Mrs Temple, Richard O’Sullivan as Don Theobald, Stuart Saunders as Mr Finch, Noel Trevarthen as Sergeant Jones, Maureen O’Reilly as Sophie Trellan, Ian Colin as Superintendent Thompson, Larry Burns as Carter, Ann Wrigg as woman neighbour, and Frazer Hines as newsboy.

It is released on DVD with The Flaw (1955).

Witness in the Dark is directed by Wolf Rilla, runs 62 minutes, is made by Ethiro Productions, is released by Rank Film Distributors (UK), is written by Leigh Vance and John Lemont, based on an original play by James Parish, is shot by Brendan J Stafford, is produced by Norman Williams and is scored by Philip Green.

Wolf Rilla also made Noose for a Lady (1953), Glad Tidings (1953), Marilyn (1953), The Large Rope (1953), The Black Rider (1954), The End of the Road (1954), Stock Car (1955), The Blue Peter (1955), Pacific Destiny (1956), The Scamp (1957), Bachelor of Hearts (1958), Village of the Damned (1960), Piccadilly Third Stop (1960), Watch it, Sailor! (1961), Cairo (1963), The World Ten Times Over (1963), Secrets of a Door-to-Door Salesman (1973) and Bedtime with Rosie (1975).

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,857

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