She Shall Have Murder
| She Shall Have Murder | |
|---|---|
.jpg) British 1-sheet poster | |
| Directed by | Daniel Birt |
| Written by | Allan MacKinnon |
| Based on | a novel by Delano Ames |
| Produced by | |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Robert Navarro |
| Edited by | Stefan Osiecki |
| Music by | Eric Spear |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Independent Film Distributors |
Release date |
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Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
She Shall Have Murder is a 1950 British drama film directed by Daniel Birt and starring Rosamund John, Derrick De Marney and Felix Aylmer.[1][2] It was written by Allan MacKinnon based on the 1949 novel of the same title by Delano Ames. The screenplay concerns a law office clerk who becomes a detective. It was co-financed by the Woolf brothers.[3]
Premise
[edit]A law office clerk who aspires to be a crime writer, turns into a detective when someone at her work is murdered.[2]
Cast
[edit]- Rosamund John as Jane Hamish
- Derrick De Marney as Dagobert Brown
- Mary Jerrold as Mrs. Robjohn
- Felix Aylmer as Mr. Playfair
- Joyce Heron as Rosemary Proctor
- Jack Allen as Major Stewart
- Henryetta Edwards as Sarah Swinburne
- Harry Fowler as Albert Oates
- John Bentley as Douglas Robjohn
- Beatrice Varley as Mrs. Hawthorne
- June Elvin as Barbara Jennings
- Jack McNaughton as bBarman
- Olaf Pooley as Mr. White
- Dennis Val Norton as pub landlord
- Francis de Wolff as Police Inspector
- Jonathan Field as darts player
- Jimmy Rhodes as racing man
- Tony Hilton as steward
- Frances Leak as shooting gallery attendant
- Wanda Rands as change girl
- Duncan Lamont as Police Sergeant
Reception
[edit]The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The tone of the film is one of determined and occasionally forced gaiety, which the action is too slow to sustain; the mystery, however, holds a certain amount of interest to the end, although none of the characters are sufficiently developed (particularly the murderer) for their motives to assume much plausibility."[4]
Picture Show wrote: "Acting honours go to Harry Fowler for his smooth, humorously horrifying characterisation as an office boy with a flourishing 'spiv' sideline. Rosamund John and Derrick de Marney give most attractive portrayals and are excellently supported."[5]
Picturegoer wrote: "Another British film which doesn't come off – despite some very gallant acting by its stars. The cause of the trouble is a jumbled script – it is shockingly naive at times – which contains too many miraculous coincidences."[6]
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "mediocre", writing: "Slow unconvincingly acted film has most of the faults typical of second-rate British thrillers of the time"[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "She Shall Have Murder". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
- ^ a b "She Shall Have Murder". Archived from the original on 13 January 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
- ^ "1st six Romulus pix finished or in work". Variety. 23 August 1950. p. 16.
- ^ "She Shall Have Murder". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 17 (193): 190. 1 January 1950. ProQuest 1305818848.
- ^ "She Shall Have Murder". Picture Show. 55 (1447): 10. 23 December 1950. ProQuest 1879616754.
- ^ "She Shall Have Murder". Picturegoer. 20: 18. 5 December 1950. ProQuest 1771212990.
- ^ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 373. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.