Marriage of Convenience ** (1960, Harry H Corbett, John Cairney) – Classic Movie Review 12,564

The intriguing 1960 British crime film Marriage of Convenience is based on Edgar Wallace’s story about a convict (John Cairney) who escapes and discovers his girlfriend has married the detective (Harry H Corbett) who arrested him.

Director Clive Donner’s 1960 British crime film Marriage of Convenience stars Harry H Corbett as detective Inspector Jock Bruce investigating murder most foul involving escaped convict Larry Wilson (John Cairney), in another intriguing though minor and musty Edgar Wallace filler thriller, based on his teasing novel The Three Oak Mystery.

The twisty plot point here is that the convict escapes from jail on an outing and discovers his girlfriend has married the detective who arrested him.

It is based on the 1924 novel The Three Oak Mystery by Edgar Wallace, and forms part of the long-running series of Edgar Wallace Mysteries films made at Merton Park Studios. It is cheap and creaky but still adequate as a thriller and quite fun as an antique movie.

It was the first of the Edgar Wallace series to be released on the Rank circuit, as support for Man in the Moon on November 1960.

Also in the cast are Jennifer Daniel, Russell Waters, Trevor Maskell, Trevor Reid, John Van Eyssen, Moira Redmond, Patricia Burke, Leila Williams, Pauline Shepherd, Alex Scott, Howard Goorney, Duncan Burns, and Alexander Archdale.

Marriage of Convenience is directed by Clive Donner, runs 58 minutes, is made by Merton Park Studios, is released by Anglo-Amalgamated, is written by Robert Banks Stewart, is shot in black and white by Brian Rhodes, is produced by Jack Greenwood, is scored by Francis Chagrin, and is designed by C Wilfred Arnold.

It starts with the disclaimer: ‘All characters and events in this film are fictitious and any similarity to actual persons and events is purely coincidental’.

Corbett returned for another Edgar Wallace Mysteries film: he plays Jack Burgess in Time to Remember (July 1962).

The cast are Harry H Corbett as Inspector Bruce, John Cairney as Larry, John Van Eyssen as John Mandle, Jennifer Daniel as Barbara Blair, Moira Redmond as Tina, Russell Waters as Sam Spencer, Trevor Reid as Superintendent Carver, Howard Goorney as Onion Seller, Alexander Archdale as Governor, Geoffrey Denton as Uniformed Inspector, Patrick Ludlow as Registrar, Barry MacLean as first warder, Basil Beale as second warder, Alex Scott as Vic Ellis, Patricia Burke as Woman in the Apartment, Pauline Shepherd as Evie Martin, Leila Williams as Secretary, Duncan Burns as Garage Apprentice, and Trevor Maskell as Sergeant Collins.

The Edgar Wallace Mysteries are:

• Urge to Kill (1960)
• Clue of the Twisted Candle (1960)
• The Malpas Mystery (1960)
• Marriage of Convenience (1960)
• The Clue of the New Pin (1961)
• Man at the Carlton Tower (1961)
• The Fourth Square (1961)
• Man Detained (1961)
• Attempt to Kill (1961)
• Clue of the Silver Key (1961)
• Never Back Losers (1961)
• Partners in Crime (1961)
• The Sinister Man (1961)
• Time to Remember (1962)
• Playback (1962)
• Solo for Sparrow (1962)
• Locker Sixty-Nine (1962)
• Incident at Midnight (1963)
• Return to Sender (1963)
• Ricochet (1963)
• Accidental Death (1963)
• Five to One (1963)
• The Verdict (1964)
• We Shall See (1964)
• Act of Murder (1964)
• Change Partners (1965).

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,564

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