Some of the Edgar Wallace films were not based on Wallace stories.This film is a case in point.It has none of the elements associated with a Wallace story,apart from which it is for the most part dull and slow.It is only in the last five minutes that the tension really increases.The film is not helped by the truly awful French accent used by John Carson.The plot strains credibility to breaking point.Not one of the better efforts
7 Reviews
Holds the interest!
JohnHowardReid27 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Produced by Jack Greenwood for Merton Park Studios. Distributed in the U.K. through Warner Pathé/Anglo Amalgamated. U.K. release date: 8 March 1964. Australian distribution through B.E.F. Never theatrically released in the U.S.A. but available to TV through AVCO Embassy. 5,102 feet. 57 minutes.
COMMENT: On acquiring the screen rights to most of Edgar Wallace's novels and stories in 1960, Merton Park Studios made a total of 49 low-budget features. This is number 34, and the first of the two films (the other, Who Was Maddox?) in the series directed by Geoffrey Nethercott. The screenwriter, Arthur La Bern, also wrote numbers 18 (Time to Remember), 25 ( Incident at Midnight), and 36 (The Verdict). Most of the other behind-the-camera personnel were used constantly throughout the series, which came to an end with Strangler's Web in 1965. This is a passably entertaining entry. The photography is flat, but the direction shows some evidence of talent and the script holds the interest throughout the film's 57 minutes.
OTHER VIEWS: Entertaining minor thriller with plenty of pace and suspense and very neat performances from John Carson, Jacqueline Ellis and Richard Vernon. Within his obviously limited budget, Geoffrey Nethercott's direction is fairly forceful. - E.V.D.
COMMENT: On acquiring the screen rights to most of Edgar Wallace's novels and stories in 1960, Merton Park Studios made a total of 49 low-budget features. This is number 34, and the first of the two films (the other, Who Was Maddox?) in the series directed by Geoffrey Nethercott. The screenwriter, Arthur La Bern, also wrote numbers 18 (Time to Remember), 25 ( Incident at Midnight), and 36 (The Verdict). Most of the other behind-the-camera personnel were used constantly throughout the series, which came to an end with Strangler's Web in 1965. This is a passably entertaining entry. The photography is flat, but the direction shows some evidence of talent and the script holds the interest throughout the film's 57 minutes.
OTHER VIEWS: Entertaining minor thriller with plenty of pace and suspense and very neat performances from John Carson, Jacqueline Ellis and Richard Vernon. Within his obviously limited budget, Geoffrey Nethercott's direction is fairly forceful. - E.V.D.
Basically it comes down to expect it when you least expect it.
mark.waltz3 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
In spite of a chilling first 20 minutes, this slows down to a thud in the middle where wealthy Richard Vernon is informed by old acquaintance John Carson that he intends to kill him and make it appear to be an accident. The reason? He believes that Vernon once collaborated with the Nazi's.
Carson befriends Vernon's foster daughter Jacqueline Ellis whom he had earlier encountered when she came upon him with her fiancee (Derrick Sherwin) in the garage, leading to a fight between the two men that creates tension whenever they are around each other. The way Carson informs Vernon of his intentions are presented as if they were in a friendly game of chess, and the tension which erupts by which character will declare "check mate".
This episode of the Edgar Wallace mysteries is straight forward which makes it completely watchable. But that quality also diminishes potential twists and turns that don't come. In a sense, it's like a British Twilight Zone without the macabre elements, subtle yet lacking in surprised until the last reel.
Carson befriends Vernon's foster daughter Jacqueline Ellis whom he had earlier encountered when she came upon him with her fiancee (Derrick Sherwin) in the garage, leading to a fight between the two men that creates tension whenever they are around each other. The way Carson informs Vernon of his intentions are presented as if they were in a friendly game of chess, and the tension which erupts by which character will declare "check mate".
This episode of the Edgar Wallace mysteries is straight forward which makes it completely watchable. But that quality also diminishes potential twists and turns that don't come. In a sense, it's like a British Twilight Zone without the macabre elements, subtle yet lacking in surprised until the last reel.
Just routine but it deserves to be seen.
searchanddestroy-118 December 2011
Warning: Spoilers
One more episode of Edgard Wallace Mystery collection. Nothing special if you compare with other films of this very same series, TV or cinema, as you choose. They may have been shown in both ways.
One wealthy man, who lives with his daughter and son in law, has to deal with an intruder who declares that he is here to kill him, because the wealthy guy was guilty of treason during the war, collaborating with the Nazis, and causing the death of the unknown man's fiancée.
You wait for the entire episode for the following: how the hell the intruder intend to kill the lead? We may sometimes think of a sort of poor man's SLEUTH. But VERY POOR MAN'S SLEUTH.
Worth seeing, although. It demonstrates that a thriller doesn't need necessarily action to be interesting.
One wealthy man, who lives with his daughter and son in law, has to deal with an intruder who declares that he is here to kill him, because the wealthy guy was guilty of treason during the war, collaborating with the Nazis, and causing the death of the unknown man's fiancée.
You wait for the entire episode for the following: how the hell the intruder intend to kill the lead? We may sometimes think of a sort of poor man's SLEUTH. But VERY POOR MAN'S SLEUTH.
Worth seeing, although. It demonstrates that a thriller doesn't need necessarily action to be interesting.
Accidental Death
Prismark1017 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
There is not much mystery in this half cooked Edgar Wallace story.
Johnnie Paxton is a war hero done good. He lives in a nice mansion with a daughter Henriette that he has raised as his own. Her parents were killed by the Nazis.
Henriette is engaged to marry Paul Lanson who initially does not get on well with his prospective father in law.
One evening Paul finds an intruder in Johnnie's house. It turns out to be Alan, a Frenchman who was once a colleague of Johnnie during the war.
However the relationship between both men are more than frosty. Alan makes it clear to Johnny that he knows he was a Nazi collaborator, that his how he made his money. Many French families dies because of him and Alan is here to kill Johnny.
Paul is put out as Henriette seems to be infatuated by the older Alan. It might be because she wants to find out just what Alan's game is.
This is a turgid drama. Poor Paul he should had walked out of the whole darn lot of them.
Alan keeps telling Johnnie what he plans to do with him. Both men make a half baked effort to kill each other and make it look like an accident. Shocking stuff.
Johnnie Paxton is a war hero done good. He lives in a nice mansion with a daughter Henriette that he has raised as his own. Her parents were killed by the Nazis.
Henriette is engaged to marry Paul Lanson who initially does not get on well with his prospective father in law.
One evening Paul finds an intruder in Johnnie's house. It turns out to be Alan, a Frenchman who was once a colleague of Johnnie during the war.
However the relationship between both men are more than frosty. Alan makes it clear to Johnny that he knows he was a Nazi collaborator, that his how he made his money. Many French families dies because of him and Alan is here to kill Johnny.
Paul is put out as Henriette seems to be infatuated by the older Alan. It might be because she wants to find out just what Alan's game is.
This is a turgid drama. Poor Paul he should had walked out of the whole darn lot of them.
Alan keeps telling Johnnie what he plans to do with him. Both men make a half baked effort to kill each other and make it look like an accident. Shocking stuff.
Jacqueline Ellis should have been in more stuff
TheFearmakers7 February 2021
Resembling a lovely young school teacher who "doesn't look like the teachers we had," Jacqueline Ellis is a different kind of British b-movie starlet...
And very import here as a wishbone not just between two men but three including an older man who raised her; a young passive boyfriend; and a new guy in town... or actually, in the house... as thirty-something Frenchman John Carson doesn't only have a plot to kill the old fella for war crimes, he tells him outright so the title ACCIDENTAL DEATH fits what MIGHT befall him...
Meanwhile the most fun's had between the Frenchmen (with an on/off British accent) and our gal Ellis, also from France, originally, and they have a kind of lusty windswept romance indoors, where most of the story takes place...
A polite, sophisticated DESPERATE HOURS without that much suspense, intrigue or urgency but is more a time-filler Neo Noir with a few twists and turns...
Including a lethal bicycle and an even more lethal swimming pool where Jacqueline Ellis almost winds up... the only character the audience, and the fellas, want protected...
After all, she's got the most to lose as her heart means more than the old man's life, or the Frenchman's shifty plans to end it.
And very import here as a wishbone not just between two men but three including an older man who raised her; a young passive boyfriend; and a new guy in town... or actually, in the house... as thirty-something Frenchman John Carson doesn't only have a plot to kill the old fella for war crimes, he tells him outright so the title ACCIDENTAL DEATH fits what MIGHT befall him...
Meanwhile the most fun's had between the Frenchmen (with an on/off British accent) and our gal Ellis, also from France, originally, and they have a kind of lusty windswept romance indoors, where most of the story takes place...
A polite, sophisticated DESPERATE HOURS without that much suspense, intrigue or urgency but is more a time-filler Neo Noir with a few twists and turns...
Including a lethal bicycle and an even more lethal swimming pool where Jacqueline Ellis almost winds up... the only character the audience, and the fellas, want protected...
After all, she's got the most to lose as her heart means more than the old man's life, or the Frenchman's shifty plans to end it.
Accidental death
coltras3511 March 2023
Henriette has a strained relationship with her guardian, Col. Johnnie Paxton, whose life was saved by Henriette's parents during the war. Upon returning from a party, Henriette and her boyfriend are surprised by an intruder. The intruder (John Carson) says he is here to kill the man who collaborated with the Nazis and caused the death of his fiancée.
Routine yet interesting enough with some fine performances and a cat and mouse game between John Vernon and John Carson, though some of that is hindered by some romantic interludes. A bit dullish, but there's some suspense towards the end. The finale was quite surprising and ironic.
Routine yet interesting enough with some fine performances and a cat and mouse game between John Vernon and John Carson, though some of that is hindered by some romantic interludes. A bit dullish, but there's some suspense towards the end. The finale was quite surprising and ironic.
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