One of the better episodes of the Scotland Yard series. A man confesses to killing his wife in a accident but the police keep on investigating.... Ivan Craig stars as the accused.
5 Reviews
Scotland Yard series
david1114789 August 2018
The Silent Witness
Prismark102 January 2021
Edgar Lustgarten recalls a tale where the assailant called the police and tells them that he killed his wife and nearly got away with murder.
Frederick Stafford is a bookshop owner who also looks after his invalid wife. She died after they quarrelled and he accidentally pushed her. The doctor tells Superintendent Daker that she had a weak heart that could go out at any time.
Stafford faces a trial for manslaughter and there is a possibility that he could get off with the death being accidental.
Daker decides to probe more. Stafford looked respectable but he also seemed to be secretive. He liked going out and leave his wife alone and not let her sister look after her.
He took out a lot of money for expenses but it was not on housekeeping. Then there was his pretty assistant in the bookshop. Daker gets a female constable to go undercover and follow her.
An unpretentious story with efficient direction. There are a few clues here and there which indicates that Stafford was a man with a plan.
There are several familiar faces in small roles such as Molly Weir.
Frederick Stafford is a bookshop owner who also looks after his invalid wife. She died after they quarrelled and he accidentally pushed her. The doctor tells Superintendent Daker that she had a weak heart that could go out at any time.
Stafford faces a trial for manslaughter and there is a possibility that he could get off with the death being accidental.
Daker decides to probe more. Stafford looked respectable but he also seemed to be secretive. He liked going out and leave his wife alone and not let her sister look after her.
He took out a lot of money for expenses but it was not on housekeeping. Then there was his pretty assistant in the bookshop. Daker gets a female constable to go undercover and follow her.
An unpretentious story with efficient direction. There are a few clues here and there which indicates that Stafford was a man with a plan.
There are several familiar faces in small roles such as Molly Weir.
It's a clever mystery.
Sleepin_Dragon16 March 2024
A man arrives at The Police Station to inform them that he's killed his wife, Detectives are baffled by his sudden and frank admission, but is everything as it seems?
Definitely one of the better installments in the series, I thoroughly enjoyed it, very intriguing, well planned out, intriguing and definitely well paced.
A really clever twist, definitely a degree of cleverness here.
Ivan Craig is excellent as Stafford, it's so bizarre seeing someone in a 1950's drama with a beard, no wonderful he stoor out, very few did, amazing how modern he looks.
What out for diminutive funny woman Rita Webb, and the wonderful Molly Weir, who many will know as Hazel The Macwitch in Rentaghost.
7/10.
Definitely one of the better installments in the series, I thoroughly enjoyed it, very intriguing, well planned out, intriguing and definitely well paced.
A really clever twist, definitely a degree of cleverness here.
Ivan Craig is excellent as Stafford, it's so bizarre seeing someone in a 1950's drama with a beard, no wonderful he stoor out, very few did, amazing how modern he looks.
What out for diminutive funny woman Rita Webb, and the wonderful Molly Weir, who many will know as Hazel The Macwitch in Rentaghost.
7/10.
A reliable director responsible for a strong plot
l_rawjalaurence17 February 2018
The director here is Montgomery Tully, another responsible for several episodes in the SCOTLAND YARD series. This one focuses on a self-acknowledged killer who almost gets away with it in a daring bid for freedom. One of the serries' best aspects emerges here; in an apparently safe world, the directors sre not afraid to show the perpetual presence of violent.crime.
Good unpretentious crime short.
jamesraeburn200319 October 2018
Warning: Spoilers
A seemingly respectable bookshop owner called Frederick Stafford (Ivan Craig) calls the police and confesses to accidentally killing his wife. It seems they quarreled and he lost his temper before pushing her causing her to fall and strike her head on the fender. He is duly arrested by the police at the scene of his Kensington mews flat and charged with manslaughter. The Yard's Supt Daker (Kenneth Henry) and Detective Forbes (Frank Forsyth) question his neighbours who all confirm that Stafford is, on the whole, a respectable person; although he is rather furtive in his manner and has a slight temper. He was also, by all accounts,seemingly devoted to his invalid wife and could not do enough for her. Yet Supt Daker isn't quite satisfied since if he knew that his wife was so ill why did her row with her so violently? In addition, Stafford seems remarkably calm and composed for a man who is potentially facing imprisonment for manslaughter. He further arouses suspicion when he asks his lawyer to renew the lease on this house because, after all, his future is far from certain and why on earth would anybody want to go back to such a place after what has occurred there? Is there something hidden in the house that he doesn't want anyone to find? With the help of a young undercover female police officer, Sgt Blake (Patricia Driscoll), Supt Daker is able to keep tabs on Stafford's shop assistant Joan Price (Jean Lodge) whom, it transpires, is engaged to be married to a man called Roberts. Her fiance is apparently away on business, but a description is obtained from a barman and it matches that of Stafford. Supt Daker and Detective Forbes are now convinced that Stafford cold bloodedly murdered his wife and arranged it to look like and accident before confessing in order to get a lighter sentence leaving him free to marry Joan when he gets out. Unfortunately, they do not have anything to make it stick before a jury. Then, suddenly, a lead presents itself from the most unlikely source: a discarded bicycle in the mews where Stafford lives. It has been there for days and it is traced to a window cleaner who has gone missing. Could he be 'The Silent Witness'?
Good unpretentious crime short from the Scotland Yard series, which sustains our interest since it is not easily guessable how the murderer seemingly set up the so called perfect crime and almost succeeded in getting away with it. The final clue that leads the Yard to the truth is, in the best whodunit tradition, seemingly impossible to fathom yet when it is finally revealed we are left thinking "Gosh, it was staring us in the face for the whole time!" It is effective and will take you completely by surprise, I guarantee. The performances from the whole cast are good - especially Ivan Craig as the killer - but, with the possible exception of Frank Forsyth and Patricia Driscoll they are not likely to be familiar to a contemporary audience. The sound direction is again by Montgomery Tully, who was one of Britain's most prolific makers of shorts and 'B' pictures throughout the 1950's-60's. He clocked up fourteen episodes of this series in total.
Good unpretentious crime short from the Scotland Yard series, which sustains our interest since it is not easily guessable how the murderer seemingly set up the so called perfect crime and almost succeeded in getting away with it. The final clue that leads the Yard to the truth is, in the best whodunit tradition, seemingly impossible to fathom yet when it is finally revealed we are left thinking "Gosh, it was staring us in the face for the whole time!" It is effective and will take you completely by surprise, I guarantee. The performances from the whole cast are good - especially Ivan Craig as the killer - but, with the possible exception of Frank Forsyth and Patricia Driscoll they are not likely to be familiar to a contemporary audience. The sound direction is again by Montgomery Tully, who was one of Britain's most prolific makers of shorts and 'B' pictures throughout the 1950's-60's. He clocked up fourteen episodes of this series in total.
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