Murder by Proxy (1954)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Terence Fisher

Writers:

Richard H. Landau (writer)
Helen Nielsen (novel)

Release Date:

19 March 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller | Drama

Plot:

An American in London, down on his luck, runs into a beautiful blonde in a bar who offers him a lot of money to marry her...

Plot Keywords:

London | Murder | Beautiful Woman | Based On Novel

Cast

Dane Clark	...	Casey Morrow
Belinda Lee	...	Phyllis Brunner
Betty Ann Davies	...	Mrs. Alicia Brunner
Eleanor Summerfield	...	Margaret 'Maggie' Doone
Andrew Osborn	...	Lance Gordon
Harold Lang	...	Travis aka Victor Vanno
Jill Melford	...	Miss Nardis
Alvys Maben	...	Lita Huntley (as Alvis Maben)
Michael Golden	...	Inspector Johnson
Nora Gordon	...	Casey's Mother (as Nora Gorden)
Alfie Bass	...	Ernie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ann Gow	...	(uncredited)
Cleo Laine	...	Singer (uncredited)
Delphi Lawrence	...	Linda (uncredited)

Directed by
Terence Fisher

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Richard H. Landau		writer (as Richard Landau)
Helen Nielsen		novel

Produced by
Michael Carreras	....	producer

Cinematography by
Walter J. Harvey		(as Jimmy Harvey)

Film Editing by
Maurice Rootes

Art Direction by
J. Elder Wills

Makeup Department
Nina Broe	....	hair stylist
Philip Leakey	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Mickey Delamar	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jimmy Sangster	....	assistant director

Sound Department
George Burgess	....	sound recordist
Bill Salter	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Len Harris	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Molly Arbuthnot	....	wardrobe
Ben Pearson	....	gowns: Belinda Lee

Music Department
Ivor Slaney	....	musical director

Other crew
Renée Glynne	....	continuity
Andrew Osborn	....	dialogue director

Production Companies

• Hammer Film Productions

Distributors

• Exclusive Films (1954) (UK) (theatrical)
• Lippert Pictures (1954) (USA) (theatrical)
• Kit Parker Films (2004) (USA) (all media) (copyright holder)
• VCI Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Blackout (USA)

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Window on 50s London

It's too long and confusing and all the tension ebbs away while you try to follow the convoluted plot. The fun part is revisiting London of the time, especially the genuine interiors - from Chelsea Studio to furnished (in 1900 taste) flat to shagpile'n'modern sculpture penthouse. The beautiful girl acts as well as the artist's wooden lay figure. Why couldn't Dane end up with painter Eleanor Summerfield? I suppose we're meant to think "Oh ho, the cops are following him because they think he'll lead him to the real killers!", but this is very clunkily done. And yes, the scene in the Polish pub (Polish pub???) is utterly unnecessary.