Before he made his name at Hammer Terence Fisher directed a considerable number of B features,of which this is one.It is directed by him in a brisk no nonsense manner.It revolves around the murder of members of a courts martial and threats made to the surviving member.The other review refers to a surprise twist.However it isn't much of a surprise bearing in mind that it is revealed quite a considerable way from the climax.It is here that Eleanor Summerfield scoops John Bentley and is awarded her own by line whereas John Bentley is relegated to the agony aunt.This is strikingly similar to the Warner Brothers "Hi Nellie" made in 1934 with Paul Muni.The film is very much enlivened by Sam Kydd playing a rather shady character who sticks his nose out too far.Coincidentally I am currently reading the BFI book on Fisher and the author devotes about one sentence to this film.Probably because it doesn't fit in with his auteur theory.
9 Reviews
Above average crime drama.
geoffm6029530 November 2019
On the whole this is a pleasant, easy going and mildly entertaining film. John Bentley is cast as the crime crusading reporter, who's determined to track down a killer, seeking revenge against an ex army prosecutor, now a solicitor, who successfully prosecuted the mysterious murderer and three other soldiers at the tail end of the war. Bentley's performance is ok, but rather too lack lustre. However, what makes this film worth watching is the solid acting performances from the supporting cast. The wonderful character actor Sam Kydd, plays an engaging small time crook, the lovely Eleanor Summerfield, plays an 'agony aunt' newspaper columnist as well as Bentley's girlfriend, and finally Liam Redmond playing the hard bitten and world weary police inspector. I consider this as a 'worthy' film as it's well directed and fairly easy to follow, unlike some torturous crime dramas. This sort of film, where a reporter helps the police to hunt down a criminal, reminds of so many past American films from that genre. It's dated, but just enjoy the acting performances of the character actors featured in this film.
Passable timewaster isn't bad for being sixty years old
Leofwine_draca27 February 2016
Hammer fans don't often realise that famed director Terence Fisher cut his teeth for many years on a series of low budget thrillers and murder mysteries churned out by many a British studio. FINAL APPOINTMENT is such a film, made at the ubiquitous Nettlefold Studios on a clearly tight budget, and yet providing satisfactory entertainment for fans of the era.
The main character is the rather stodgy John Bentley playing a reporter looking into a series of death threats and finding that they're connected to a series of unexplained murders. It's all linked to something that happened during the war, and he's determined to get to the bottom of it. Along the way he gets to grips with various characters from detectives to lowlife criminals. There isn't much action or incident in this production - no doubt due to the budget - but Fisher's brisk direction is efficient, and fun remains in seeing minor parts for the likes of Sam Kydd and Arthur Lowe.
The main character is the rather stodgy John Bentley playing a reporter looking into a series of death threats and finding that they're connected to a series of unexplained murders. It's all linked to something that happened during the war, and he's determined to get to the bottom of it. Along the way he gets to grips with various characters from detectives to lowlife criminals. There isn't much action or incident in this production - no doubt due to the budget - but Fisher's brisk direction is efficient, and fun remains in seeing minor parts for the likes of Sam Kydd and Arthur Lowe.
A Man With A Grudge Kills 5 men
AlaGls15 October 2001
Another short B-picture made in Britain this concerns a man, who, having been court-marshalled during the war, kills five of the six officers who took part in his case. A newspaper reporter (played by John Bentley) and his girl friend (Elanor Summerfield) discover the identity of the sixth man, now a solicitor (Hubert Gregg) and protects him from the killer. But there is a twist in the tail, for the suspect is not the man we have been led to believe it was....
A Fine Quota Quickie
boblipton14 November 2021
John Bentley is working on a story about death threats to Hubert Gregg. Inspector Liam Redmond doesn't think much about his wild theories, until it turns out there are two unsolved murders in the same date in each of the preceding two years. They figure the connection, but then it turns out that none of their three suspects could have done it: one is dead, one left for Australia, and the third one, Sam Kydd, isn't the type. Meanwhile, back at the office, Eleanor Summerfield is Bentley's girlfriend and the agony aunt columnist, both positions she wishes to change.
It's a terrific little mystery, with Bentley and Redmond investigating a murder that hasn't taken place, and the twist is one I didn't see coming. It's one of those cheap Quota Quickies where everything works, and a very good time indeed.
It's a terrific little mystery, with Bentley and Redmond investigating a murder that hasn't taken place, and the twist is one I didn't see coming. It's one of those cheap Quota Quickies where everything works, and a very good time indeed.
A solid 50's mystery.
Sleepin_Dragon22 January 2021
Who is making threats against a retired army officer, and does the sender have any links to a series of murders that happened some years ago?
It's a passable thriller, with some interesting themes and ideas. It's of course over sixty years old, and very much of its time. I did struggle to put one or two of the events together, and it's fair to say that there are more than a few plot holes.
Nicely acted, John Bentley and Sam Kydd I enjoyed, but it was fascinating to see Arthur Lowe in a role outside of Dad's Army.
It's a decent watch, just don't ask me to explain it. 6/10.
It's a passable thriller, with some interesting themes and ideas. It's of course over sixty years old, and very much of its time. I did struggle to put one or two of the events together, and it's fair to say that there are more than a few plot holes.
Nicely acted, John Bentley and Sam Kydd I enjoyed, but it was fascinating to see Arthur Lowe in a role outside of Dad's Army.
It's a decent watch, just don't ask me to explain it. 6/10.
Enjoyable
Milk_Tray_Guy30 January 2023
British b&w comedy/crime thriller, starring 50s B-movie heartthrob John Bentley, with Eleanor Summerfield, Liam Redmond, and wonderful character actor Sam Kydd. The plot revolves around threats made to the life of a former army officer who was prosecutor for a man's court martial during WWII. Police discover that the threats are linked to several other killings.
It does a nice job of balancing pretty grisly events with some screwball-type comedy centred around Bentley and Summerfield's characters. Director Terence Fisher would go on to be a mainstay for Hammer Films (where his work included the four early Lee/Cushing features, Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula, Hound of the Baskervilles, and The Mummy). 7/10.
It does a nice job of balancing pretty grisly events with some screwball-type comedy centred around Bentley and Summerfield's characters. Director Terence Fisher would go on to be a mainstay for Hammer Films (where his work included the four early Lee/Cushing features, Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula, Hound of the Baskervilles, and The Mummy). 7/10.
"For a long shot like that you deserve to lose three bob"
hwg1957-102-26570428 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A newspaper reporter, Mike Billings, looking for a story is drawn to a series of deaths that might be linked. With the assistance of a police inspector and his girl friend the murderer is apprehended. A well paced story with humour intertwined with the mystery. John Bentley as Billings is adequate. Much better are Eleanor Summerfield as lively girl friend Jenny, Liam Redmond as the quietly efficient detective Corcoran and the ubiquitous Sam Kydd as the dodgy Vickery. Not a classic but it does keep one interested in how it will turn out though once the death certificate was mentioned I had a fair idea.
There were three other films with the Mike Billings character, John Bentley playing him one more time and other actors taking over in the other two films. One wonders why. As a character Billings is rather ordinary.
There were three other films with the Mike Billings character, John Bentley playing him one more time and other actors taking over in the other two films. One wonders why. As a character Billings is rather ordinary.
Not-bad mystery
lucyrf23 November 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Benefits from London locations like the flat above a tobacconists' shop stuffed with Victorian relics. Also benefits from Hubert Gregg as a solicitor, a former army man who's been receiving death threats. A reporter links the anonymous letters with a series of murders committed on June 10 on successive years.
Sam Kydd is excellent as always as a dodgy character who thinks he can benefit somehow from selling information. There is a sinister scene where he is set on by the shady tobacconist.
This intriguing story, and these excellent actors, are hampered by a crass performance from the newspaper man, and the usually excellent Eleanor Summerfield as his girlfriend is forced to humiliate herself in a "cute" role.
An interesting aside is the way the girls dress up for a night out in taffeta, mink and fake diamonds. What a rigmarole! And a business lunch consists of "paté maison, goujons of sole, potage du jour and then poulet avec special sauce", explained by a head waiter in a cameo role. How did you work after that lot?
Sam Kydd is excellent as always as a dodgy character who thinks he can benefit somehow from selling information. There is a sinister scene where he is set on by the shady tobacconist.
This intriguing story, and these excellent actors, are hampered by a crass performance from the newspaper man, and the usually excellent Eleanor Summerfield as his girlfriend is forced to humiliate herself in a "cute" role.
An interesting aside is the way the girls dress up for a night out in taffeta, mink and fake diamonds. What a rigmarole! And a business lunch consists of "paté maison, goujons of sole, potage du jour and then poulet avec special sauce", explained by a head waiter in a cameo role. How did you work after that lot?
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