Mrs Pym of Scotland Yard *** (1939, Mary Clare, Edward Lexy, Nigel Patrick, Anthony Ireland, Irene Handl) – Classic Movie Review 12,659

Mary Clare stars in her only title role as the investigating Mrs Pym, Scotland Yard’s only female detective, in the 1939 British comedy-drama thriller film Mrs Pym of Scotland Yard.

Director Fred Elles’s 1939 British comedy-drama thriller film Mrs Pym of Scotland Yard is a short support feature made as a pilot for a series that never was, based on the Mrs Pym novels by Nigel Morland, who later used the title again for one of his novels in 1946.

Mary Clare stars in her only title role as the investigating Mrs Pym, Scotland Yard’s only female detective, helped out by her good-natured but incompetent assistant Inspector Shott (Edward Lexy) on a case concerning a threatened heiress and a phoney clairvoyant. She finds herself investigating the murders of two people, members of a psychic club.

It is certainly intriguing and entertaining enough, with a decent, busy thriller plot, the female angle is pioneering for its day, and character actress Clare makes the most of her unique star part. Mrs Pym of Scotland Yard is really rather well done of its familiar vintage kind.

It also notably features Anthony Ireland as a medium called Henry Mencken, Irene Handl as Mencken’s assistant Mrs Bell, and Nigel Patrick as a reporter named Richard Loddon.

Also in the cast are Janet Johnson, Vernon Kelso, Robert English, and Arthur Ridley.

The film was shot in London at Highbury Studios in July 1939 and released in January 1940.

It runs just 65 minutes.

It resurfaced in the UK in October 2023 on TPTV.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,659

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com