Review of Das Geheimnis der schwarzen Koffer

One of the better Edgar Wallace series from the 1960's concerns a series of murders where the victim is killed by a knife thrown from a great distance. The victim always has his bags packed by the killer just before the murder occurs. I was going to attempt to do a further recounting of the events but there are too many characters and too much going on for it to make any real effort to do so pointless. Looking back at it I find that the plot really doesn't hold up that well if you think about it, but it really doesn't matter a whole heck of a lot since the film is too busy moving you on to the next thing. Trust me this film is really worth making an effort to catch since it just grabs you and pulls you along. Best of all some of the dialog is quite witty with my favorite exchange being "I've been in London for less than an hour and I've already stumbled upon my first murder" to which a passer by replies "Yes, well London is like that". If there is any real problem with the film its that the comic relief, here taking the form of one of the detectives sound hound cousin, who's antics seem at times a bit too silly. Annoyance with the sound hound aside, this is a really good thriller and worth time on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and a soda.