Murder at 3am (1953)

A police detective suspects that his sister's boyfriend is a murderer.

Director:

Francis Searle

Writers:

John Ainsworth (original story), John Ainsworth

Stars:

Dennis Price, Peggy Evans, Rex Garner

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Dennis Price	...	Inspector Peter Lawton
Peggy Evans	...	Joan Lawton
Rex Garner	...	Sgt. Bill Todd
Arnold Bell	...	McMann
Greta Mayaro	...	Lena
Philip Saville	...	Edward King / Jim King
Leonard Sharp	...	Old Skip
Nora Gordon	...	Nanna
Renee Goddard	...	Lady Branstead
Arthur Lovegrove	...	Inspector Cobb
Daphne Maddox	...	Victim
Robert Weeden	...	Constable

Storyline

There have been a series of murders of young women, and the police commissioner is demanding results from the detectives. A common feature is that they all took place at 3 am, and the victims were leaving clubs whose names seem to follow a pattern -- P, L, A, Y - What next? But then an aged waterman puts the detectives on to another common factor -- the dates were all of high tide on the River Thames. A woman is set up as a decoy at a club on the next expected date, but she is taken away by taxi without incident. Without incident, that is, until it is reported that the taxi was stolen earlier. Will the detectives find her, and the killer, in time?

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Plot Keywords:

murder | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The last film of Peggy Evans.

User Reviews

In The End, A Dully Melodramatic Mystery

Police inspector Dennis Price is called on to investigate a string of murders. The victims are women, their jewelry and cash is taken, and the murders always take place about 3AM. As the investigation advances, he comes to believe the perpetrator is Philip Saville, the boyfriend of his sister, Peggy Evans.

It's a cheap quota quicky directed by uninspired director Francis Searle. Price doesn't offer much in the way of an interesting performance. He is too unemotional and efficient, with no sign of brilliance, resulting in something like a procedural movie; it's a type of mystery that doesn't appeal to me. In addition, Eric Spear has provided an overwrought score performed on the organ that is downright annoying.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

1955 (USA)

Also Known As:

Murder at 3 A.M.

Company Credits

Production Co:

The David Henley Partnership, David Henley Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1