Double Exposure *** (1954, John Bentley, Rona Anderson, Garry Marsh, Alexander Gauge, John Horsley) – Classic Movie Review 12,879

John Gilling’s 1954 crime film Double Exposure stars John Bentley as a private detective investigating the case of a missing photographer (Rona Anderson) whose chance pictures could reveal a murderer’s identity.

John Gilling’s 1954 crime film Double Exposure stars John Bentley and Rona Anderson. It is a sprightly Fifties British B-thriller from the prolific Robert S Baker – Monty Berman production team, with nice actors and period charm. 

Writer/ director John Gilling’s 1954 black and white crime film Double Exposure stars John Bentley and Rona Anderson and Garry Marsh. It is a sprightly Fifties British B-movie private detective thriller from the prolific Robert S Baker – Monty Berman production team, with Berman on cinematography as usual.

A fired-up John Bentley gives an energetic star turn as Pete Fleming, the trench-coated investigating detective, in this nimble tale of a shady bookie suspected of foul deeds and faking a suicide. The plot involves the death of businessman Denis Clayton (Alexander Gauge)’s wife, fallen from an upstairs window in an apparent suicide, and a woman photographer called Barbara Leyland (Rona Anderson) who innocently took pictures of their house and pictured what was actually a murder scene, and is now in mortal danger.

Denis Clayton calls in the detective agency of Beaumont (Garry Marsh), who puts his eager-beaver man Pete Fleming on the case of finding the now supposedly vanished Barbara Leyland, who has allegedly disappeared with some of the dead wife jewels. The trail leads to sleepy Winchester, where Barbara has an arts supplies shop. Pete discovers that Clayton got back the negatives and prints of the photos, but Barbara has kept dupes. Clayton calls off the inquiry and tries to pay off Pete, but Pete won’t quit till the mystery is solved. Besides, he likes the look of Barbara. And his boss is remarkably tolerant,

Double Exposure is a quirky, decently made story with easily enough diverting, fast moving plot to fill its allotted hour, and John Gilling knows how to raise interest in this quickly churned out movie, shot in three weeks, and overcome the limitations of low-cost production with the help of some imaginative shots from cinematographer Monty Berman and nicely assembled sets designed by Wilfred Arnold. 

The initial set-up is strong and striking, and the script strong and serviceable throughout, with only the all-too-obvious comedy elements letting it down, though even so Bentley and Marsh still do their darndest to make it amusing.

Bentley, Anderson, Marsh and Gauge are welcome, entertaining presences and amusing personalities, adding richness to the show, while Ingeborg Wells [Ingeborg von Kusserow] is outstanding as Clayton’s creepy femme fatale secretary, John Horsley is his usual top-notch self as Clayton’s accountant Lamport and Doris Hare has a funny one scene cameo as the Woman Police Sergeant.

Plus there is a notable score by John Lanchbery, and a lot of now interesting period detail in the location backgrounds in Kensington and Chelsea, London. It has some considerable nostalgic period charm.

The screenplay is by John Gilling, based on an original story by John Roddick.

It is all easy to underrate the skill these film were made with, and the pleasure the provide. They were regularly dismissed as just ‘formula’ support feature thrillers. Now we know better. John Gilling is a byword for quality in this landscape.

The interiors were shot in the studio at Southall Studios, Southall, Middlesex, England, UK.

Also in the cast are Ingeborg Wells [Ingeborg von Kusserow], John Horsley, Doris Hare, Eric Berry, Ryck Rydon, Frank Forsyth, Ronan O’Casey, Alan Robinson, Sally Newton, Rita Webb, and Ronald Leigh-Hunt, George Roderick, Patrick Jordan, Joe Wadham, Margot Bryant, and Richard Neller.

Release date: 29 March 1954.

Double Exposure is directed by John Gilling, runs 61 minutes, is made by Kenilworth Film Productions and Mid-Century Film Productions, is released by General Film Distributors, is written by John Gilling, based on an original story by John Roddick, is shot in black and white by Monty Berman, is produced by Robert S Baker and  Monty Berman, is scored by John Lanchbery, and is designed by Wilfred Arnold.

The cast

The cast are John Bentley as Pete Fleming, Rona Anderson as Barbara Leyland, Garry Marsh as Beaumont, Alexander Gauge as Denis Clayton, Ingeborg Wells [Ingeborg von Kusserow] as Maxine Golder, John Horsley as Lamport, Doris Hare as Woman Police Sergeant, Eric Berry as Mike Gerraty, Frank Forsyth as Inspector Grayle, Ronan O’Casey as Trickson, Ryck Rydon as Trixon, Alan Robinson as Photography Expert, Sally Newton as Beaumont’s secretary, Rita Webb as flower seller, Ronald Leigh-Hunt as post office clerk, George Roderick, Patrick Jordan, Joe Wadham, Margot Bryant as cleaning woman, and Richard Neller.

Ingeborg von Kusserow

German film actress Ingeborg von Kusserow (28 January 1919 – 14 April 2014) starred in Nazi propaganda films during the Third Reich but finally emigrated to Britain with her husband in 1947.

Doris Hare

Welsh actress Doris Hare (1 March 1905 – 30 May 2000) is best known as Ethel Butler in the British sitcom and film spinoff On the Buses.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 12,879

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