The Drayton Case (1953)

During the early years of World War II, a bomb from a German airplane uncovers the corpse of a strangled woman.

Director:

Ken Hughes

Writer:

Ken Hughes

Stars:

Edgar Lustgarten, Victor Platt, Hilda Barry

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Edgar Lustgarten	...	Host
Victor Platt	...	Charles Drayton
Hilda Barry	...	Elizabeth Drayton
John Le Mesurier	...	Inspector Henley
Vincent Ball	...	Detective
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bruce Beeby
Geoffrey Bewian
Eric Evans
Edward Malin	...	Caretaker
Humphrey Morton
Bartlett Mullins	...	Mr. Taylor

Storyline

During the early years of World War II, a bomb from a German airplane uncovers the corpse of a strangled woman.

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Plot Keywords:

world war two | alimony | cellar | divorce | confession | 

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Genres:

Crime | Short

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

February 1953 (UK)

Also Known As:

Casebook: The Case of the Drayton Case

Company Credits

Production Co:

Merton Park Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

26 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

User Reviews

Murder

This is the first in the series of cinema shorts based on the files of 'Scotland Yard' metropolitan police. Edgar Lustgarten starts his introduction by talking about the police file 'Charles Drayton' and asks if you kill someone "what do you do with the body?" He then goes into the story of Charles Drayton who murdered his wife on Christmas Eve 1941. The problem with the body was easy for him to solve, as dozens of dead bodies were been discovered all over London during World War 2, mainly because of the blitz by German bombers. And so after killing her he hides the body of his wife in the cellar of a school house on Chester Street in Islington, London. Her body is later found two years later. When her body is checked by a police pathologist, he finds that she has a fractured Larinx, so he decides that she was strangled to death. After a long check which takes weeks, by elimination they identify the body is found to be that Elizabeth Drayton. The reason her husband killed her was to save having to pay her one pound in maintenance money every week. It finally comes out from the caretaker at the school house where the body was found, that there was a fire in the cellar and the 'firewatcher' is revealed to be Charles Drayton. He is later arrested at Charring Cross Underground Station. It gets very emotional as he try's to make his escape down a circular stairs. Also of interest is the incidental music which livens this up, as well as the laid back John Le Mesurier. And been a short it rushes along and is well directed by Ken Hughes.