The Long Dark Hall ** (1951, Rex Harrison, Lilli Palmer, Raymond Huntley, Denis O’Dea, Anthony Bushell) – Classic Movie Review 6140

Rex Harrison stars as Arthur Groome, the unfaithful Richmond, London, husband, charged with murdering his showgirl plaything (Patricia Wayne), in directors Anthony Bushell and Reginald Beck’s ordinary, unconvincing 1951 British mystery and suspense crime thriller The Long Dark Hall. It is based on a typical work by Edgar Lustgarten, his 1947 novel A Case to Answer.

When Groome discovers the showgirl’s body, he fails to call the police because he does not want his wife to know about his affair, and then he becomes the police’s prime suspect for the murder.

Rex Harrison later described this film as ‘dreadful’, so be warned. He opined: ‘My worst picture? The Long Dark Hall would have to be near the top of the list.’ The alluring players are easily the film’s main attraction. Lilli Palmer is appealing as his faithful wife (as she was in real life at the time).

The film centres on Groome’s trial at London’s Old Bailey courtroom. Future star Jill Bennett plays first murdered girl.

Also in the cast are Raymond Huntley, Denis O’Dea, Anthony Bushell, Henry Longhurst, Meriel Forbes, Brenda de Banzie, Anthony Dawson, Tania Heald and Henrietta Barry.

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

The Long Dark Hall runs 86 minutes, is made by Five Ocean Films and Cusick International Films, is released by British Lion Film Corporation (UK) and United Artists (US), is written by Nunnally Johnson and W E C Fairchild (additional scenes and dialogue), shot in black and white by Wilkie Cooper, produced by Peter Cusick and Anthony Bushell, and scored by Benjamin Frankel.

Network Releasing released it on DVD in 2016 (UK) and Blu-ray in 2019 (UK).

Brenda de Banzie is remembered for Hobson’s Choice (1954), The Entertainer (1960), Flame in the Streets (1961), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) and The Pink Panther (1963).

The cast are Rex Harrison as Arthur Groome, Lilli Palmer as Mary Groome, Tania Heald as Sheila Groome, Henrietta Barry as Rosemary Groome, Dora Sevening as Mary’s mother, Ronald Simpson as Mary’s father, Raymond Huntley as Chief Inspector Sullivan, William Squire as Sergeant Cochran, Ballard Berkeley as Superintendent Maxey, Anthony Dawson as The Man, Denis O’Dea as Sir Charles Morton, Anthony Bushell as Clive Bedford, Henry B Longhurst as Judge, Patricia Cutts as Rose Mallory, Meriel Forbes as Marjorie Danns, Brenda De Banzie as Mrs Rogers, Douglas Jefferies as Dr Conway, Fletcher Lightfoot as Jury Foreman, Anthony Shaw as Clerk of the Court, Michael Medwin as Leslie Scott, Colin Gordon as Pound, Lionel Murton as Jefferson (US version), Eric Pohlmann as Mr Polaris, Lilli Molnar as Mrs Polaris, Frank Tickle as Alfred Tripp, Tom Macaulay as Ironworks manager, Richard Littledale as Mr Sims, Jenny Laird as Mrs Sims, Tony Quinn as Joe the barman, and Jill Bennett as First murdered girl.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6140

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