Dead Men are Dangerous
Dead Men are Dangerous is a 1939 British crime film directed by Harold French and starring Robert Newton, Betty Lynne, John Warwick, and Peter Gawthorne. It was released in the U.S. as Dangerous Masquerade.[2] Its plot concerns an unsuccessful writer who is wrongly accused of a murder.[3]
| Dead Men are Dangerous | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Harold French |
| Produced by | Warwick Ward |
| Screenplay by | Victor Kendall Vernon J. Clancey Harry Hughes |
| Based on | novel Hidden by H.C. Armstrong[1] |
| Starring | Robert Newton Betty Lynne John Warwick Peter Gawthorne |
| Music by | John Reynders (uncredited) |
| Cinematography | Ernest Palmer |
| Edited by | E. Richards |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Pathé Pictures International (UK) |
Release date |
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Running time | 69 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot
Penniless and debt ridden writer Aylmer Franklyn (Robert Newton) happens upon a dead man lying under the branch of a tree, apparently killed during a violent storm. Swapping clothes and identities with the corpse seems like a way out of his troubles, and Franklyn even attends his own inquest; but little does he know the man had a criminal history and he soon finds the police on his trail.
Cast
- Robert Newton as Aylmer Franklyn
- Betty Lynne as Nina
- John Warwick as Goddard
- Peter Gawthorne as Conray
- Merle Tottenham as Gladys
- John Turnbull as Inspector Roberts
- Aubrey Mallalieu as Coroner
- Kynaston Reeves as James T. Franklyn
- Winifred Oughton as Mrs Blagden
- Cyril Chamberlain as George Franklyn (uncredited)
- Charles Mortimer as Policeman (uncredited)
- John Salew as Tramp (uncredited)
- Anita Sharp-Bolster as Spinster Resident (uncredited)
Critical reception
In a contemporary review, The Leicester Daily Mercury found "Fast moving action, a goodly sequence of thrills, and some splendid acting by Robert Newton, characterises Dead Men are Dangerous, a film with a clever plot and a strong taste of the mysterious";[4] while more recently, Vintage 45 wrote, "No great acting to speak of and no real depth to the story but it’s fun to watch it all unfold. Don’t expect anything exceptional and you’ll probably like it."[5]
References
- Gifford, Denis (1 April 2016). British Film Catalogue: Two Volume Set – The Fiction Film/The Non-Fiction Film. Routledge. ISBN 9781317740636 – via Google Books.
- "Reel Streets". www.reelstreets.com.
- "Dead Men Are Dangerous (1939)". Archived from the original on 13 January 2009.
- "Dead Men Are Dangerous 1939". Charles Mortimer.
- "Dead Men Are Dangerous (Dangerous Masquerade) (1939)". 21 June 2012.