A criminal lunatic called Pendicot (John Le Mesurier) and his accomplice burgled a house in Hampstead Heath and murdered a servant who disturbed them. Pendicot turned king's evidence against his accomplice who was hanged, and he was sent to Broadmoor instead after being certified insane. Some time later, Pendicot escapes from Broadmoor and is hiding out at a ruined terraced house in London. He has found a confederate in a young man called Jenkins (Antony Doonan) who supplies him with food. In order to be able to pay him for his trouble, Pendicot persuades Jenkins to help him pull a robbery in which the target is a valuable stash of rubies. But, little does Jenkins know that Pendicot is returning to the scene of the crime that got him sent to Broadmoor in the first place. Meanwhile, the owner of the house, Trent (Frank Hawkins), fears that Pendicot will make an attempt on his life since it was the evidence he gave against him that nearly got him hanged. Inspector Thornton (John Stuart) reassures him that he will be caught and takes him out for a night out at his club. After they have left, Pendicot and Jenkins break into the house having overpowered the police guard. Pendicot boasts that he has planned the perfect crime, but the pair are interrupted by a young girl - a servant, perhaps? - (Victoria Hopper) or does Pendicot know her from somewhere?
An ingenious little 'B' picture thriller which was the directorial debut of writer-director John Gilling who would later go on to be famed for his work at the Hammer studio after a long period during the 1950's writing and often directing second features before progressing to more prestigious 'A' features via Warwick-Columbia. But, it was always horror and the supernatural that were going to be his forte and this offering offers glimpses of his future career direction.
Gilling evidently relished the chance at directing this, his first time out behind the camera, since he begins the film with a handwritten introduction to the story saying that this is the tale about the escape from Broadmoor and the events that followed it as he was told them, but that he couldn't say for sure whether it was a true story or not only that it interested him and hoped that it would thrill the audiences too. What follows could have been merely a routine crime yarn, but Gilling succeeds in generating quite a lot of tension and suspense from it - more than I was expecting as a matter of fact. There are thrills to be had in the scenes between Trent and his housekeeper who does little to soothe his paranoia that Pendicot may break into his house and try to kill him by her relation of the events of the Burke and Hare case to him. After she has gone, he starts hearing noises and seeing shadows everywhere, which are made extremely effective by Gilling's use of music and camera angles. But, it is the climax which is truly a corker in which the cocky Pendicot, thinking that he has pulled the perfect crime, gets more than he bargained for. No, I won't give it away, but shall confine myself to say that I was reminded of one of Vernon Sewell's better second features like Ghost Ship, House Of Mystery and The Man In The Back Seat with its themes of the supernatural and the uncanny. If you have seen those I would highly recommend that you check this one out.
Performances from a cast of recognizable British actors are good all round with John Le Mesurier of particular note here playing a criminal lunatic, which he does really well conveying a real sense of menace in the role. Victoria Hopper is also deserving of praise as the sinister woman who haunts Le Mesurier's villian too.
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