Footsteps in the Sand (1939) Black Limelight (original title)

Director:

Paul L. Stein

Writers:

Dudley Leslie (writer)
Gordon Sherry (play)
(more)

Release Date:

25 June 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Crime

Plot:

A girl is murdered and the evidence points strongly toward Peter Charrington, who disappeared right after the crime...

Plot Keywords:

Attorney | Murder | Full Moon | Mystery Killer | Mistress

Cast

Joan Marion	...	Mary Charrington
Raymond Massey	...	Peter Charrington
Elliott Mason	...	Jemima
Walter Hudd	...	Lawrence Crawford
Henry Oscar	...	Inspector Tanner
Dan Tobin	...	Reporter Roberts
Leslie Bradley	...	Bill, young detective-on-duty
Diana Beaumont	...	Gwen, young maid-next-door
Coral Browne	...	Lily James
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frankie Howerd	...	Milkman (unconfirmed)
Robert Beatty	...	Extra (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul L. Stein

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Dudley Leslie		writer
Gordon Sherry		play
Walter Summers		writer

Produced by
Walter C. Mycroft	....	producer

Cinematography by
Claude Friese-Greene

Film Editing by
Lionel Tomlinson

Set Decoration by
Cedric Dawe

Music Department
Herman Finck	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC)

Distributors

• Associated British Film Distributors (ABFD) (1938) (UK) (theatrical)
• Film Alliance of the United States Inc. (1939) (USA) (theatrical)
• International Film Renters Ltd. (1942) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)

Also Known As:

"Black Limelight" - UK (original title)

Runtime:

70 min | USA:63 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:Approved (PCA #02544) | Sweden:15

Company:

Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC)

Quotes:

Mary Charrington:You've been very careful, but you made one mistake. It'll be the first time that anyone has suggested you as the murderer. You'll be watched, you'll be questioned, you'll be followed, and they'll get you.
Lawrence Crawford:I killed her, did I? Accusing me, are you? Why don't you run away Mary? Move if you can, but you don't move Mary. Why?
Mary Charrington:Because...
Lawrence Crawford:Because you know I'm not the killer.
Mary Charrington:You!
Lawrence Crawford:That's where you're wrong. I am the Dorset murderer. I killed Lily James, and all the others, and now I am going to kill you!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Agatha Christie's Poirot: The ABC Murders (#4.1)" (1992)

This would have been better with less talk and more action

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Very talky murder mystery is a film which shows its stage bound origins in endless talk.

The plot of the film has the police searching for a husband who had rented a cottage while on a business trip. The man (played by Raymond Massey) is missing and there is the body of a dead woman inside. The police begin to hound the man's wife, who feels he's innocent. When the husband shows up she hides him and tries to find the killer...of course there is tons of talky soul searching.

A kind of bland film that is done in by the talk and inaction. Its compelling if you want to know who did it- but otherwise it's not all that great. Part of the problem is a horrible performance by Raymond Massey (who is more in support than lead) and part of the problem is the script seems to want to keep all of the dialog from the play. Once the play drives to the conclusion in the final 15 minutes it picks up but its a tough slog to get there.

Kind of worth a look if you run across it....