User Reviews

The less you know about the story, the more you are likely to enjoy it. At little more than an hour long, this is a brisk little thriller powered by a decent story. The acting is variable, with the lead doing most of the heavy lifting, but with some decent sets, location shooting (in Ireland) and a plot that rattles along like a clockwork toy this passes the time agreeably enough.

Another garrulous crime quickie made at Ardmore Studios disinterred by Talking Pictures, but a good cut above their dire 'Enter Inspector Duval' screened two nights ago.

This makes less attempt to conceal it's Irish provenance, and boasts some attractive location work, as well as a formidable female lead in Noelle Middleton, who transforms herself from a mouse into a fox by the time-honoured ruse of leaving her glasses off and changing her hairstyle.

While not an especially well-known feature, Max Varnel's briskly entertaining 'A Question of Suspense' proves itself to be a lively, capably acted, terrifically twisty-turny Noirish British crime melodrama from the more than capable director of the no less absorbing Anton Diffring-led B-thriller 'Enter Inspector Duval' (1961), while, perhaps, not quite as dynamic as the latter, this dastardly nefarious tale concerning demonstratively shady business dealings, and callous murder remains a smart, effective, if a little routine 60s B-Thriller, and while somewhat formulaic in style, it still simmers along politely to an amusingly theatrical climax! While the talented cast all equipped themselves rather splendidly, once again, I was taken by the sinisterly smooth acting stylings of the delightfully charismatic actor Peter Reynolds as the devilishly glib, Machiavellian heel Jim Tellman Drew, and the ravishing brunette Yvonne Buckingham is certainly easy on the eye! This is most certainly a worthwhile watch for rabid fans of vintage British crime drama.

I was quite pleasantly surprised by this little pot-boiler. It's all based around poor old "Frank" (Norman Rodway) who suspects his pal "Jim" (Peter Reynolds) of forging company bonds. He threatens to expose him unless he gets in on the act. "Jim" initially agrees, then takes the law into his own hands and next thing the police have satisfied themselves that the forgeries were all the work of the now absconded "Frank". At this point, enter the wife "Rose" (Noelle Middleton) - an old flame of "Jim" - and soon she is firmly back in his romantic sights as she begins to smell a rat. Can she piece it all together and get the police to believe her - whilst, make no mistake, her own life is in increasing peril. There can't have been much of a budget, and to be honest the acting isn't really up to much - or especially convincing, but the story and the writing are delivered swiftly allowing the pace to build up nicely to a denouement that showcases some lovely irish scenery as well as delivers some just desserts. It's just over the hour and passes the time effortlessly enough.

This B/C grade thriller is hampered from the start by being obviously a product of an Irish studio, and yet insists on trying to convince us that the action takes place in the UK., with allusions to the big city - ie London- and with the police (not Garda) conversing in received English. This is a strange anomaly, as the beautiful Irish locations could've been used to greater effect.

The plot is a confection of murder, double cross, desire and greed, yet with all those ingredients still fails to hit the spot . Maybe it's because Peter Reynolds always appears just too darned nice to be a genuinely bad guy; also he appears to be burdened with an ill fitting hairpiece in this one to add to our sympathies (maybe it's just the camera angles). Noelle Middleton is certainly an unusual leading lady who, as one Reviewer has noted, transforms from Fusty to Foxy, with one deft removal of her unflattering specs...

Norman Rodway comes in to see his old friend and employer Peter Reynolds. He knows that Reynolds has been backing his operations with forged bonds, and threatens him with exposure and jail unless they go into partnership. Reynolds agrees, and when Rodway tells him they must destroy the forged bonds, agrees again. They go to Reynolds' beach house, talking of their adolescent love, Noelle Middleton. There, Reynolds kills Rodway and buries him in the sand. Now, with Rodway gone, when the police discover the forgery, it looks like Rodway did the forgeries and a bunk. Things are looking well for Reynolds, when Miss Middleton turns up; she had been living with Rodway for seven years after the disappearance of her husband, and doesn't think he did the things he is accused of. All Reynolds can think of is a chance to have his teen-age fantasies come true.

There's little suspense in how the story goes, but there is a good deal in if and when Miss Middleton figures things out and whether she can convince the police. For such an inherently slight -- albeit bloody -- story, it's well acted and shot under the direction of Max Varnel.

It's a likeable thriller with a brisk tempo and fluent dialog all the way, the intrigue being transparent though as soon as Frank is gone missing. Peter Reynolds makes a perfectly credible performance as a double dealer in every way, while he is taken aback by the appearance of Noelle Middleton, the love of his youth and of his colleague Frank's, when she takes him by surprise by demonstrating herself as Frank's wife. Peter never thought he had one and least of all the one they both adored as youngsters. Well, she isn't really Frank's wife, but they did find each other again in mature days and started being together, so she has reasons enough to worry about him like a wife. You really start to worry already when he and Frank go out together to the sea with a pickaxe and a shovel and start digging like for a hidden treasure of their youth, and your darkest misgivings will gradually materialise. It's a sinister drama dressed in elegance, Peter Reynolds is a rich man who can afford being generous, and it takes some time before he starts to suspect any threat to his illusions. It's a great pastime, like any Agatha Christie thriller, and you will find all the pieces fitting into the jigsaw puzzle with a few shocks for a solution.

The basic plot of this 1961 movie seems to be borrowed for Danger By My Side (1962). In that crime film, Maureen Connell is out to trap the killer of her brother by cozying up to the murderer after glamming herself up. In A Question of Suspense, Noelle Middleton glams up to get the murderer of her man. It's an okay programmer if entirely predictable and done a hundred times. Yvonne Buckingham is the killer's secretary and is wasted in that minor role. I never understood the producers and casting directors who underappreciated this beauty, always giving her nothing parts. She should have gotten the lead in this picture.

Downtrodden accountant Frank Brigstock (Norman Rodway) has always lived in the shadow of his boss and childhood friend Jim Drew (Peter Reynolds). By chance Frank discovers that Drew has deposited forged bonds in the company's bank account and seizes his chance . It's not blackmail, he simply wants to bring his boss down. Unfortunately he just isn't sharp enough and is bamboozled by Drew offering him a partnership and promising to clean up his act. Frank agrees but then is lured to a remote seaside location where Drew disposes of him. The bond fraud is discovered and the fact that Frank has disappeared points to him being responsible. Perfect! Until "Mrs Brigstock". (Noelle Middleton) puts in an appearance and things get very complicated for Drew.

Not a great film and there is little in the way of real suspense since it is obvious that the lady suspects Drew is up to no good but, it will fill a spare hour on a wet afternoon if you're not too fussy.

Another forgotten, if anyone knew it ever existed, 'B' movie shown on Talking Pictures. They seem to have a never ending stream of these old British films from the 50's & 60's. This one is just an hour long and was actually shot in Ireland and is certainly worth watching. The story revolves around a crooked business man, Peter Reynolds, his less successful school friend,Norman Rodway, who becomes his downtrodden employee and their mutual schoolboy crush, played by Yvonne Buckingham. Norman finds out about Peter Reynolds bond forging scam and attempts blackmail. Big mistake.

One quibble I would have about this film is the title. It is not at all suspenseful as we always see what is going on with no major shocks or even mild surprises, but as an entertaining hour with decent acting, it fits the bill.