Blood Orange *** (1953, Tom Conway, Mila Parély, Naomi Chance) – Classic Movie Review 11,088

Director Terence Fisher’s 1953 Hammer Films low-budget black and white crime mystery thriller programmer Blood Orange stars Tom Conway as a private investigator called Tom Conway, who investigates after both a model (Delphi Lawrence) and a client (Margaret Halstan) for a London fashion house are found murdered, wearing the same dress.

Then a jeweller is the third victim, stabbed to death by dressmaking scissors.

Blood Orange is a stylish, smooth little B-movie mystery thriller tensely and energetically handled by Fisher and neatly done by a decent old-time cast, including Hammer’s most popular actor Michael Ripper.

Conway makes a good hero in a typically polished performance.

Also in the cast are Delphi Lawrence, Naomi Chance, Mila Parély, Eric Pohlmann, Margaret Halstan, Andrew Osborn, Richard Wattis, Eileen Way, Thomas Heathcote, Michael Ripper, Betty Cooper, Alan Rolfe, Roger Delgado, Reed De Rouen, Christine Forrest, Ann Hanslip, Davy Leon, Dorothy Robson, Leo Phillips, Robert Moore, Denis Cowles, John H Watson, and Cleo Rose.

Blood Orange is directed by Terence Fisher, runs 76 minutes, is made by Hammer, is released by Exclusive Films (1953) (UK) and Astor Pictures Corporation (1953) (US), is written by Jan Read (original screenplay), is shot in black and white by Walter J Harvey [Jimmy Harvey], is produced by Michael Carreras, is scored by Ivor Slaney, and designed by J Elder Wills. Jimmy Sangster is assistant director.

It is shot at Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire, England.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,088

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