By the time he made this neat little film noir English director Peter Godfrey was fully esconed in American televion drama. But this last fling at the big screen, even if it is a low-budget indie production is worth seeking out for several reasons. The film starts in classic noir style with a man going into his office building late at night and beginning to talk into a tape recorder....wait a minute! That's a straight steal from Billy Wilder's DOUBLE INDEMNITY...but but because we know (or should know) this the film establishes firmly that we are in noir territory. Add to this that the male lead is the great Raymond Burr as a defence attorney who is hoodwinked by his client/lover (Angela Lansbury in pre-MURDER SHE WROTE bitch mode) you have a film which, even if it is not top draw is extremely entertaining. The supporting cast includes Dick Foran, John Dehner and Denver Pyle. Rating *** Monday, 27 July 2009
PLEASE MURDER ME (1956)
By the time he made this neat little film noir English director Peter Godfrey was fully esconed in American televion drama. But this last fling at the big screen, even if it is a low-budget indie production is worth seeking out for several reasons. The film starts in classic noir style with a man going into his office building late at night and beginning to talk into a tape recorder....wait a minute! That's a straight steal from Billy Wilder's DOUBLE INDEMNITY...but but because we know (or should know) this the film establishes firmly that we are in noir territory. Add to this that the male lead is the great Raymond Burr as a defence attorney who is hoodwinked by his client/lover (Angela Lansbury in pre-MURDER SHE WROTE bitch mode) you have a film which, even if it is not top draw is extremely entertaining. The supporting cast includes Dick Foran, John Dehner and Denver Pyle. Rating *** 
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