House of Blackmail

1953 British film by Maurice Elvey

House of Blackmail

Directed by| Maurice Elvey
Written by| Allan MacKinnon
Produced by| Philip Brandon
Starring| William Sylvester
Mary Germaine
Cinematography| Phil Grindrod
Edited by| Vera Campbell
Music by| John Addison

Production
company

ACT Films

Distributed by| Monarch Film Corporation (UK)

Release date

* 1956 (1956)

Running time

| 72 minutes
Country| United Kingdom
Language| English

House of Blackmail is a 1953 British second feature[1] drama film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Mary Germaine, William Sylvester and Alexander Gauge.[2] It was written by Allan MacKinnon. The plot follows a soldier and his girlfriend, who become mixed up with a blackmailer.

## Plot

[edit]

Playboy Billy Blane forges crook John Markham's signature on a cheque. Markham demands £5000 hush money from Blane. Blane asks his sister Carol for help. She drives to Markham's country house and en route picks up hitchhiker Jimmy, who agrees to pose as her lawyer. When Carol gives Markham a cheque, he demands that Carol and Jim remain at the house until the cheque clears. Carol persuades Jimmy to crack Markham's safe, which he finds empty. Markham is found murdered. It is revealed that Jimmy is an Army officer on an initiative test. He unmasks the murderer.

## Cast

[edit]

* Mary Germaine as Carol Blane
* William Sylvester as Jimmy
* Alexander Gauge as John Markham
* John Arnatt as Pete Carter
* Denis Shaw as Bassett
* Ingeborg von Kusserow as Emma
* Patricia Owens as Joan
* C. Denier Warren as Jock
* Hugo Schuster as Dr. Welich
* Barry Wynne as Billy Blane

## Critical reception

[edit]

Kine Weekly said "The picture ... opens well, but as soon as it moves to Markham’s mansion its action becomes a trifle stilted, Mary Germaine, as Carol, displays good looks and obvious acting ability, and William Sylvester, although a little too sure of himself, registers as Jimmy, but the rest are a very mixed bag. Even so, the sound stellar portrayals, coupled with the 'twist' ending, give it the benefit of any doubts."[3]

Monthly Film Bulletin said "John Markham, a blackmailer, is murdered. Whodunit? The German doctor? The fake American? The supposed escaped convict? The wealthy commercial artist? The pugilistic butler or the demure maid? The police cannot be called in, as the house is surrounded by a high-tension circuit, and someone removed at least 18 inches from the telephone wire, so we have to spend about 40 minutes finding out. Of the cast, only Ingeborg Wells and Denis Shaw show any spirit, and direction is not particularly in evidence."[4]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "mediocre", writing: "Very modest version of traditional thriller."[5]

The Radio Times wrote: "Not one of [Maurice Elvey's] best efforts. We could do with more surprises, but the pace is unrelenting and there are typically solid performances from Mary Germaine, William Sylvester and John Arnatt."[6]

TV Guide called it "ordinary but fast paced."[7]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 105\. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
2. ^ "House of Blackmail". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
3. ^ "House of Blackmail". Kine Weekly. 432 (2387): 27. 26 March 1953 - via ProQuest.
4. ^ "House of Blackmail". Monthly Film Bulletin. 20 (228): 73. 1953 - via ProQuest.
5. ^ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 325\. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.
6. ^ David Parkinson. "House of Blackmail". RadioTimes.
7. ^ "House Of Blackmail". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* House of Blackmail at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Maurice Elvey

Silent films|

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* Honeymoon for Three (1915)
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* Her Nameless Child (1915)
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* The Princess of Happy Chance (1916)
* The King's Daughter (1916)
* Mother Love (1916)
* Smith (1917)
* The Grit of a Jew (1917)
* The Woman Who Was Nothing (1917)
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* The Gay Lord Quex (1917)
* Flames (1917)
* Mary Girl (1917)
* Hindle Wakes (1918)
* The Greatest Wish in the World (1918)
* Goodbye (1918)
* Adam Bede (1918)
* The Life Story of David Lloyd George (1918)
* Nelson (1918)
* Comradeship (1919)
* Quinneys (1919)
* Keeper of the Door (1919)
* Dombey and Son (1919)
* The Rocks of Valpre (1919)
* God's Good Man (1919)
* Mr. Wu (1919)
* The Swindler (1919)
* The Elusive Pimpernel (1919)
* Bleak House (1920)
* The Amateur Gentleman (1920)
* At the Villa Rose (1920)
* The Hundredth Chance (1920)
* A Question of Trust (1920)
* The Tavern Knight (1920)
* The Victory Leaders (1920)
* Innocent (1921)
* A Gentleman of France (1921)
* The Hound of the Baskervilles (1921)
* The Fruitful Vine (1921)
* A Romance of Wastdale (1921)
* The Man with the Twisted Lip (1921)
* Man and His Kingdom (1922)
* The Passionate Friends (1922)
* Running Water (1922)
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* A Debt of Honour (1922)
* The Wandering Jew (1923)
* The Sign of Four (1923)
* Guy Fawkes (1923)
* The Royal Oak (1923)
* Sally Bishop (1923)
* Don Quixote (1923)
* Henry, King of Navarre (1924)
* Slaves of Destiny (1924)
* The Love Story of Aliette Brunton (1924)
* My Husband's Wives (1924)
* Folly of Vanity (1924)
* Curlytop (1924)
* She Wolves (1925)
* Every Man's Wife (1925)
* The Woman Tempted (1926)
* The Flag Lieutenant (1926)
* Mademoiselle from Armentieres (1926)
* Roses of Picardy (1927)
* Tragedy of a Marriage (1927)
* Hindle Wakes (1927)
* The Flight Commander (1927)
* Quinneys (1927)
* The Glad Eye (1927)
* Mademoiselle Parley Voo (1928)
* Balaclava (1928)
* Palais de danse (1928)
* You Know What Sailors Are (1928)
* High Treason (1929)

Sound films|

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* Sally in Our Alley (1931)
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* The Marriage Bond (1932)
* The Water Gipsies (1932)
* Diamond Cut Diamond (1932)
* The Lodger (1932)
* The Lost Chord (1933)
* I Lived with You (1933)
* This Week of Grace (1933)
* Soldiers of the King (1933)
* Love, Life and Laughter (1934)
* Road House (1934)
* Lily of Killarney (1934)
* The Clairvoyant (1935)
* The Tunnel (1935)
* Heat Wave (1935)
* Spy of Napoleon (1936)
* The Man in the Mirror (1936)
* A Romance in Flanders (1937)
* Who Killed John Savage? (1937)
* Melody and Romance (1937)
* Change for a Sovereign (1937)
* Lightning Conductor (1938)
* Who Goes Next? (1938)
* The Return of the Frog (1938)
* Sword of Honour (1939)
* Sons of the Sea (1939)
* Under Your Hat (1940)
* The Spider (1940)
* For Freedom (1940)
* Room for Two (1940)
* Salute John Citizen (1942)
* The Lamp Still Burns (1943)
* Medal for the General (1944)
* Strawberry Roan (1945)
* Beware of Pity (1946)
* The Third Visitor (1951)
* The Late Edwina Black (1951)
* My Wife's Lodger (1952)
* The Great Game (1953)
* Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary? (1953)
* House of Blackmail (1953)
* The Harassed Hero (1954)
* What Every Woman Wants (1954)
* The Gay Dog (1954)
* The Happiness of Three Women (1954)
* You Lucky People! (1955)
* Room in the House (1955)
* Fun at St. Fanny's (1956)
* Dry Rot (1956)
* Stars in Your Eyes (1956)
* Second Fiddle (1957)

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