Filmmaker Terence Fisher made his first film for Hammer with this fairly routine noir-ish thriller that was quick to capitalize on the presence of sultry budding starlet Diana Dors ("The Long Haul"). A true femme fatale she really isn't; she is actually spurred into action by a sleazier, more morally bankrupt individual named Jeff Hart (Peter Reynolds, "The Delavine Affair"). She plays Ruby Bruce, an employee at a bookstore who catches her boss, John Harman (George Brent, "Dark Victory"), in a moment of weakness as he acts upon his attraction to her and gives her a quick kiss.
This leaves him open to later being blackmailed by the conniving Hart. Then, he must take it on the lam when he's suspected of murder. Fortunately, his wartime nurse turned co-worker Stella Tracy (Marguerite Chapman, "The Seven Year Itch") is in love with him, and is more than willing to give him all the assistance that he needs.
Written by Frederick Knott, based on a story by James Hadley Chase, this entertains in capable if not spectacular fashion. At least Fisher keeps the film moving along sufficiently, and he gets solid performances out of much of the cast. Dors may have been a real selling point (and she is amazing to look at), but in terms of just acting, she's easily outshone by the pretty Chapman. Brent is fine as a character so stoic that he barely bats an eye or sheds a tear upon learning of his wife's death. They're well supported by Raymond Huntley (Hammers' "The Mummy"), an excellent Reynolds as the true antagonist of the piece, Eleanor Summerfield ("Laughter in Paradise") as his gal pal Vi, Meredith Edwards ("The Great Game") as the requisite police inspector character, and Harry Fowler ("The Pickwick Papers") as amiable young bookstore employee Joe.
One good thing this viewer can say about this story is that at least it wasn't completely predictable. It builds to an effectively fiery finish.
Jimmy Sangster, who began his screenwriting career for Hammer a few years later with "The Curse of Frankenstein", was the assistant director here; Michael Carreras was the casting director.
Seven out of 10.
This leaves him open to later being blackmailed by the conniving Hart. Then, he must take it on the lam when he's suspected of murder. Fortunately, his wartime nurse turned co-worker Stella Tracy (Marguerite Chapman, "The Seven Year Itch") is in love with him, and is more than willing to give him all the assistance that he needs.
Written by Frederick Knott, based on a story by James Hadley Chase, this entertains in capable if not spectacular fashion. At least Fisher keeps the film moving along sufficiently, and he gets solid performances out of much of the cast. Dors may have been a real selling point (and she is amazing to look at), but in terms of just acting, she's easily outshone by the pretty Chapman. Brent is fine as a character so stoic that he barely bats an eye or sheds a tear upon learning of his wife's death. They're well supported by Raymond Huntley (Hammers' "The Mummy"), an excellent Reynolds as the true antagonist of the piece, Eleanor Summerfield ("Laughter in Paradise") as his gal pal Vi, Meredith Edwards ("The Great Game") as the requisite police inspector character, and Harry Fowler ("The Pickwick Papers") as amiable young bookstore employee Joe.
One good thing this viewer can say about this story is that at least it wasn't completely predictable. It builds to an effectively fiery finish.
Jimmy Sangster, who began his screenwriting career for Hammer a few years later with "The Curse of Frankenstein", was the assistant director here; Michael Carreras was the casting director.
Seven out of 10.