The Torso Murder Mystery (1939)
"Traitor Spy" (original title)

Ted Healey, a British man, is employed in a factory which makes anti-submarine patrol boats fitted with a secret torpedo device. Healy is in the pat of the German Secret Service and his ... See full summary »

Director:

Walter Summers

Writers:

Jacques Pendower (novel), John Argyle (screenplay),

Stars:

Bruce Cabot, Marta Labarr, Tamara Desni

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bruce Cabot	...	Carl Beyersdorf / Ted Healey
Marta Labarr	...	Freyda Healey
Tamara Desni	...	Marie Dufreyne
Romilly Lunge	...	Beverley Blake
Edward Lexy	...	Det. Insp. William Barnard
Cyril Smith	...	Det. Sgt. Trotter
Percy Walsh	...	Otto Lemnel
Eve Lynd	...	Florrie McGowan
Alexander Field	...	Yorkie Meane
Hilary Pritchard	...	Toni Vencini
Davina Craig	...	Mabel
Vincent Holman	...	Hawker
Anthony Shaw	...	Commander Anderson
Peter Gawthorne	...	Sir John
Bernard Jukes	...	Hubert Kessler

Storyline

Ted Healey, a British man, is employed in a factory which makes anti-submarine patrol boats fitted with a secret torpedo device. Healy is in the pat of the German Secret Service and his wife, Freyda, constantly reproaches him for treachery to his country. He promises her as soon as he has made his fortune, he will stop his spy activities. He refuses to turn over the pictures he has taken of the blueprints to Lemnel, head of the Nazi spies, until he has been paid 5000 Pounds. The Nazis have a plan to get the pictures and dispose of Healey and he takes a bit of drastic action of his own. He kills a man of his own build, decapitates and mutilates the body and plants papers on the torso to make the Germans and the British Intelligence assume he is dead. But both discover he is still alive and set traps for him. The Brit trap is a beautiful British agent, Maria Dufreyne, who meets Healey and gains his confidence. Gaining his confidence leads to a series of embraces between Maria and Healey...

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Plot Keywords:

german | spy | nazi | blueprint | treachery | 

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Genres:

Mystery

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 October 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Torso Murder Mystery

Filming Locations:

Welwyn Studios, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

John Argyle Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

70 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first English film role of Bruce Cabot.

User Reviews

Lame Spy thriller

Bruce Cabot plays a spy at a boat factory who steals a blueprint from the factory he works in.Having copied it he asks the Nazis for £4000 instead of £1000.There is a shot,we think he is dead.half an hour later he reappears as he had killed the Nazi agent.There follows i slightly confusing ill written story full of clichés,and the plot full of holes.For example.The police raid a nightclub where Cabot is being held by the Nazis.The police all rush in and as there is nobody guarding the door Cabot rushes out.The nightclub is the most interesting part of the film as there is a table of women only who are quite clearly not interested in men.The film ends when the spies nest goes up in flames with Cabot and his wife perishing in the flames rather than be captured.Cabot shoots his wife before the flames consume them.The chief Nazi speaks with a ridiculous German accent.The film is just plain silly.Incidentally the continuity isn't much good.Early on we see a telegram dated August 1939.then we have a newspaper shown with a date March 1939 and then one January 1939 !