PodBill Just what I expected

BallWubba Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

ThrillMessage There are better movies of two hours length. I loved the actress'performance.

Invaderbank The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

melvelvit-1 A U.S. Army captain stationed in England falls for a local woman (Anne Heywood) whose brutish husband beats her and before long a murder plan is hatched... It's quintessential noir, plot-wise (from the template forged by James M. Cain), and the story's by Brian Clemens of THE AVENGERS fame but except for some nice b&w photography and a blue-sy score, there's reely nothing new in what looks to be one of the last of Britain's "quota quickies" before the Act was repealed in 1960 (even if it was filmed in Ireland). A modest effort that ought to keep any noirista glued to the tube, nonetheless.

Jay Raskin This is a nice and neat little suspense piece in the tradition of "Double Indemnity." and "The Postman Always Rings Twice" An army captain (Robert Arden) falls for an abused wife (Anne Heywood) of a rich man (Basil Dignam).The most noteworthy thing, and what attracted me to watch the movie, is that it was written by master story teller Brian Clemens ("Danger Man," "The Avengers," "Captain Kronos: Vampire Killer"). Clemens' works always move quickly and mix humor, adventure and suspense in a generally pleasing manner. This movie shows that Clemens knew his craft from the beginning of his 50+ year career.He puts in three or four clever plot twists that help refresh the formulaic plot. For example, the abused wife is not nearly as helpless as we thought upon first seeing her.I found Robert Arden quite good and believable as the captain. Although he did a good amount bit roles in television work, this seems to have been his only really starring movie role. It is a shame. He has a Fred MacMurray type of niceness to him which should have led him to more straight heroic roles.Anne Heywood is our femme fatale/heroine.I knew Anne Heywood from her terrific acting in "The Fox." She is very good here as well. One sees exactly why Captain Dillon is willing to risk everything five minutes after meeting her.While this does have elements of classic Film Noir, it is not really representative of that genre. In classic Film Noir, the hero has some disturbance in his past that catches up to him. Here Ms. Heywood is the new and only disturbance.I think suspense and mystery fans will generally enjoy it. It is only slightly above the level of a good detective television series, but as long as you are not expecting too much that will do.

MartinHafer Whether the film makers would admit this or not, this film is re-make of the classic film "Double Indemnity" (1944)...a relatively bland one. So, my question is--why not, then, just watch the original film?! The film is set in the United Kingdom. A pretty young lady is married to an older and abusive drunk. He is no prize, so you certainly sympathize for the lady--and so does an American office who is stationed nearby. He sees firsthand what sort of a nasty piece of work the husband is...and that makes him vulnerable to the wife. Why? Well, because she's also pretty horrible..and plans manipulating him into killing the husband. Can they get away with it and how will it all end?! Well, if you've seen the earlier film, you kind of have the idea...I gave this film a 5 simply because although is not at all original, the plot is a good one. Too bad the acting is pretty poor and the production looks so cheap. At its best, it's only pedestrian. My recommendation is this one only if you are a film noir nut or you like poor remakes.

fordraff Caution: Contains spoilers.If someone had written the script for a film noir from a computer template, this is the sort of film that would have emerged.Strictly formula: A young attractive wife, Laura Wilton, is married to Tom Wilton, a wealthy man about twenty years her senior whom she married for his money. Tom, an alcoholic, physically and verbally abuses Laura and feels that her duty should be to keep the house in order and serve him.Enter Dave Dillon, a handsome American Army officer from a nearby base. In no time, Laura and Dave have begun an affair, and she has enticed him into a plot to kill Tom.They will dispatch Tom in an accident, made to look as if it resulted from Tom's drunken driving. According to formula, their plot doesn't go quite as planned. Nonetheless, Tom ends up dead.Then, also according to formula, the accident is investigated, in this case by an obese Inspector O'Flynn. Soon he "smells a rat" and furthers his investigation. Laura and Dave say and do the wrong things; they begin to distrust each other. Finally, Laura tells Inspector O'Flynn some lies that throws suspicion on Dave.Then, according to formula, Dave discovers that Laura is about to depart for Italy with the chauffeur she'd been having an affair with before Dave happened on the scene. Tom Wilton had fired the chauffeur, saying it wasn't seemly that Laura and he should be seen driving about the countryside together. Tom may also have suspected that Laura and the chauffeur were having an affair.At the film's conclusion, Laura and Tom meet an end that satisfied both the U.S. Production Code and the British Censor Board.All of this happens in 68 tight minutes.Although it follows the classic American noir formula, the film is British. Don't think English county house, however, for the exterior of the Wilton home is very much 50s California Moderne. This is momentarily surprising. After watching Dave Dillon go up a typical English driveway, I was expecting to see a home on the order of Manderlay, but instead got this white modern one. The film does have its share of scenes filmed with the usual American light and shadow of noir.The cast behaves perfunctorily. Of interest here is Anne Heywood early in her career. But she doesn't generate any of the heat of a classic femme fatale like Stanwyck in "Double Indemnity" or Jane Greer in "Out of the Past." Indeed, there are no sparks between her and leading man, Robert Arden.Robert Arden plays Dave Dillon. He was American-born but gave up a singing career to play in British films. His credit list is undistinguished. Here he bears a remarkable similarity to Fred MacMurray, albeit a bit heaver than MacMurray was in his prime.Basil Dignam plays the drunken husband; he shows a fine profile and looks like the aging Leslie Nielsen. Denis Shaw plays the overweight detective.The film did hold my interest; there is narrative thrust. And there is some fun in seeing from what classic American noirs the filmmakers stole. Check out those sunglasses on Heywood when she lies down under the sunlamp. Very much like the ones Stanwyck wore in "Double Indemnity."I could recommend this film only to die-hard film noir fans who just must see every noir ever made.