Since having notice my dad pick up an increasing number of TV shows and films from a DVD company called Network,I decided to take a look at movies that the company has released,which led to me stumbling upon a Film Noir murder-mystery set in the-then newly built BBC studios,which led to me getting ready to take a dangerous tour of the beeb's broadcasting house.

The plot:

Rehearsing a radio play that is to be aired/played later that day,a group of actors find them selves becoming increasingly annoyed with the show's lead producer,due to him constantly demanding the cast to put more "life" into their performance.

Being the only actor who seems happy with the way that the producer is treating him, (which leads to the other cast members being even more annoyed) Sydney Parsons enters a sound booth to play the part of the first murder victim.As Parsons begins to read a page in the script that involves his character being killed,a strange pair of hands wrap around Parsons neck,and strangle him to death.Rushing to congratulate Parsons on his amazingly realistic performance,the producer soon discovers that instead of life being brought into the play,a sound of death has been sent across the airwaves.

View on the film:

Before getting to the movie,I have to mention that whilst the film does have some snap,crackle & Pop,Network have given the 80 year title a clear,crisp picture,and a smooth soundtrack that allows for this deadly radio recording to be fully heard.

Opening with a low-lit close up shot of a radio mic,director Reginald Denham gives the movie a frosty Film Noir atmosphere by using close up side angles to create an uneasy feeling of anyone of the cast being Sydney Parsons (played by a very good Donald Wolfit) deadly cast member.

Whilst the title does have some nice moments of each cast member being set to stab the other in the back,the screenplay by writer/actor Val Gielgud, (who also wrote the novel that the title is adapted from)Basil Mason and Eric Maschwitz sadly decides to focus on the rather dry inner workings of the studio production,instead of the wonderfully cynical Film Noir aspects,which leads to this broadcast being one that is not played in a prime time slot.

"Please!!....can't you put more feeling into your death scene"!! - and unfortunately for Parsons, he puts too much feeling into it, he is murdered!!

A pristine print makes this an enjoyable view - not only is there a murder but it must have been an interesting peek for audiences at the workings etc of the BBC - there's even a variety show with a bevy of beautiful, talented chorus girls (going through their routine in a professional way). The lovely Eve Becke shows she had a way with a song but the highlight for me is the beautiful Elisabeth Welch singing the sultry "Lazy Lady" with all the muscians thoroughly enjoying the performance.

The murder investigation plays out among the beautiful Art Deco settings of Broadcasting House, led by a very believable performance from Ian Hunter as Det. Insp. Gregory (Hunter was so good in British movies, it's only when he went to Hollywood, he turned stodgy and boring). The rest of the cast lived up to the way audiences of the time probably felt they spoke and behaved - very toffy, elocution lesson stuff. Val Gielgud, writer of the original book and screen play, gave himself a plum role as Julian Caird, the play's ("Murder Immaculate") producer and his performance shows why he spent many years as BBC's Head of Sound and Drama but didn't venture in front of the camera too often.

The victim, Parsons, was a professional blackmailer and an interesting plot twist was having the leading man, Leopold Dryden as being very unlikable and slipping out of the recording studio at around the time of the murder. Played fittingly by Austin Trevor who was the first actor to portray Hercule Poirot on film. Rounding out the cast was Peter Haddon who excelled in "silly ass" types and provided the movie with it's supposed humour as a top hatted gent looking for an alibi!! Jack Hawkins at the beginning of his career, he's Bert Evans, in a sizable part one of the actors and someone who has a crush on the leading lady and Henry Kendall as the playwright, with wit as dry as crisp toast and also with a very healthy yen for Mrs. Dryden (a pretty and dewy eyed Mary Newland). And then there's Mrs. Dryden - has she anything to hide in her past? Just why is she so upset when Gregory finds an old playbill!!