That Woman Opposite [City After Midnight] *** (1957, Phyllis Kirk, Dan O’Herlihy, Jack Watling, William Franklyn, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Petula Clark) – Classic Movie Review 13,887

The pleasurable 1957 British crime mystery thriller film That Woman Opposite is based on John Dickson Carr’s novel The Emperor’s Snuff-Box, and stars Phyllis Kirk, Dan O’Herlihy, Jack Watling, William Franklyn, Wilfrid Hyde-White, and Petula Clark.

‘Madman, murderer… I loved him. this is a horror I must hide…’

Writer/ director Compton Bennett’s pleasurable 1957 British crime mystery thriller film That Woman Opposite [City After Midnight] is based on the highly regarded 1942 novel The Emperor’s Snuff-Box by John Dickson Carr, and stars Phyllis Kirk, Dan O’Herlihy, Jack Watling, William Franklyn, Wilfrid Hyde-White, and Petula Clark.

[Spoiler alert] That Woman Opposite is a quite enjoyable and pleasing mystery about private detective Dermot Kinross (Dan O’Herlihy) on the case of a murder in France in which gem thief Ned Atwood (William Franklyn)’s former wife Eve Atwood (Phyllis Kirk) is accused when a French cop and later the English antique dealer Sir Maurice Lawes (Wilfrid Hyde-White) are killed. Eve (Kirk) has become engaged to Sir Maurice (Hyde-White)’s no-good son Toby Lawes (Jack Watling).

The plot piles up into a satisfyingly complicated and none too predictable thriller, thanks to John Dickson Carr’s ingenious mystery story. The film is competently handled by Compton Bennett, its sombre mood suiting his temperament, while the very nice cast are good company and help it smoothly along, with Margaret Withers as Lady Helena Lawes and Guido Lorraine as Aristide Goron outstanding in the support category.

Cast: Phyllis Kirk, Dan O’Herlihy, Jack Watling, William Franklyn, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Petula Clark, Margaret Withers, Guido Lorraine, Jacques Cey, André Charisse, Robert Raikes.

It is made at Nettlefold Studios, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England, UK.

City After Midnight is the US title.

Wilfrid Hyde-White make his film debut in Josser on the Farm (1934), credited under his real name of Wilfrid Hyde White (ie without the hyphen). He also appeared in his early films as Hyde White. He later added the hyphen and his first name. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He recalled: ‘I learned two things at RADA. I can’t act and it doesn’t matter.’ He doesn’t have much to do in That Woman Opposite, but he is most amusing. His supporting role as Crabbin in The Third Man (1949) helped turn him into a regular attraction in 1950s British films.

Cast: Phyllis Kirk as Eve Atwood, Dan O’Herlihy as Dermot Kinross, William Franklyn as Ned Atwood, Jack Watling as Toby Lawes, Wilfrid Hyde-White as Sir Maurice Lawes, Petula Clark as Janice Lawes, Guido Lorraine as Aristide Goron, Margaret Withers as Lady Helena Lawes, Tita Dane as Marie Latour, Robert Raikes as Bill, André Charisse as Gaston, Jacques Cey as Busson, Irene Moore as Diana.

That Woman Opposite [City After Midnight] is directed by Compton Bennett, runs 85 minutes, is made by William Gell Productions, is released by Monarch Film Corporation (UK) and RKO Radio Pictures (US), is written by Compton Bennett, based on the novel The Emperor’s Snuff Box by John Dickson Carr, is shot in black and white by Lionel Banes, is produced by William Gell, and is scored by Stanley Black.

© Derek Winnert 2026 – Classic Movie Review 13,887

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