"Change Partners" (1965, United Kingdom). Directed by Robert Lynn. Starring: Zena Walker, Kenneth Cope and Basil Henson.
I've seen several films in the 1960's series "The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theater" recently. It's a mixed bag, but I really liked "Change Partners". Although the story mostly takes place in daylight, far from the hustle and bustle of the big city, it's still a close relative of film noir classics such as "Double Indemnity" and "The Postman Always Rings Twice". For fans of noirs, "Change Partners" is recommendable!
It features two strong women (one of whom is a femme fatale) and a weak male protagonist. Lust, infidelity, money and murders. This is what I associate with a good crime film. Note that I have not written violence, shootings, car chases or life-weary policemen with the same facial expression throughout the film.
If "Change Partners" had been made in the United States during the classic noir era of the 1940s, I could have imagined Bruce Bennett and Gene Tierney as the unfaithful couple and Dan Duryea and Audrey Totter as the blackmailer couple.
SPOILER ALERT: Anna Arkwright and Cedric Gallen meet at the same place every Tuesday and Friday. They are noticed by Joe Trent, who lives with his girlfriend Jean in a caravan nearby. Joe writes down the registration numbers of the cars and finds out that they are registered to Ben Arkwright (Anna's husband) and Cedric Gallen respectively. They are partners in a large company. That means money!
Cedric tells Anna that his wife Betty will never agree to divorce and that Ben Arkwright has the financial control of the company and will use it, if Cedric takes his wife away from him.
One day, Joe Trent discovers that Cedric Gallen is fixing the ignition on Ben Arkwright's car. Ben is drunk, and Cedric asks Betty to drive him to their villa. When the car has driven into the garage, the door closes behind them. It's impossible to get it up. It is also impossible to switch off the car engine. They die of carbon monoxide poisoning. Cedric has put an undated and unaddressed love letter, which Ben had written to Anna, in Betty's drawer. He wants to make it look like Betty and Ben had an extramarital affair, and that they died in a suicide pact.
I've seen several films in the 1960's series "The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theater" recently. It's a mixed bag, but I really liked "Change Partners". Although the story mostly takes place in daylight, far from the hustle and bustle of the big city, it's still a close relative of film noir classics such as "Double Indemnity" and "The Postman Always Rings Twice". For fans of noirs, "Change Partners" is recommendable!
It features two strong women (one of whom is a femme fatale) and a weak male protagonist. Lust, infidelity, money and murders. This is what I associate with a good crime film. Note that I have not written violence, shootings, car chases or life-weary policemen with the same facial expression throughout the film.
If "Change Partners" had been made in the United States during the classic noir era of the 1940s, I could have imagined Bruce Bennett and Gene Tierney as the unfaithful couple and Dan Duryea and Audrey Totter as the blackmailer couple.
SPOILER ALERT: Anna Arkwright and Cedric Gallen meet at the same place every Tuesday and Friday. They are noticed by Joe Trent, who lives with his girlfriend Jean in a caravan nearby. Joe writes down the registration numbers of the cars and finds out that they are registered to Ben Arkwright (Anna's husband) and Cedric Gallen respectively. They are partners in a large company. That means money!
Cedric tells Anna that his wife Betty will never agree to divorce and that Ben Arkwright has the financial control of the company and will use it, if Cedric takes his wife away from him.
One day, Joe Trent discovers that Cedric Gallen is fixing the ignition on Ben Arkwright's car. Ben is drunk, and Cedric asks Betty to drive him to their villa. When the car has driven into the garage, the door closes behind them. It's impossible to get it up. It is also impossible to switch off the car engine. They die of carbon monoxide poisoning. Cedric has put an undated and unaddressed love letter, which Ben had written to Anna, in Betty's drawer. He wants to make it look like Betty and Ben had an extramarital affair, and that they died in a suicide pact.