Rent The Dark Man (1951)
3.3 of 5 from 57 ratings
1h 16min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
Dark and Brooding 1950s British thriller starring Edward Bnderdown as Inspector Viner of Scotland Yard sent to a sleepy English seaside town in Kent to investigate a brutal double murder, only to fall in love with the killers' next target. Following the murder of small-time black-marketeer, Mostyn, the shadowy 'Dark Man' (Maxwell Reed) also kills the one person who can identify him; a taxi driver who drove him to Mostyn's farmhoese. After shooting the driver in a secluded wood another eye-witness passes by, budding actress Molly Lester (Natasha Parry). Inspector Jack Viner (Edward Underdown) is assigned to the case and swiftly falls in love with Molly. Meanwhile, the 'Dark Man' continues to shadow Molly. Will Viner catch the 'Dark Man' before he commits his third murder? - Actors:
- Edward Underdown, Maxwell Reed, Natasha Parry, William Hartnell, Barbara Murray, Robert Long, Cyril Smith, Leonard White, Ernest Haines, Walter Horsbrugh, Denis Webb, John Derrick, Gerald Anderson, Geoffrey Bond, Geoffrey Sumner, John Singer, Sam Kydd, Grace Denbigh Russell, David Keir, Betty Cooper
- Directors:
- Jeffrey Dell
- Producers:
- Julian Wintle
- Writers:
- Jeffrey Dell
- Aka:
- Jeffrey Dell's The Dark Man
- Studio:
- Strawberrry Media
- Genres:
- Classics, Drama, Thrillers
- Collections:
- Top 10 British Seaside Movies, Top Films
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Reviews (2) of The Dark Man
To the Lighthouse - The Dark Man review by CH
In this brisk hour and a quarter, there is adroit use of Hastings and the area along the coast - as well as equally moody interior scenes filmed in Merton Park studios. Anybody who starts this film will be sure to sit until the end - and then grasp the title of this review of a film far closer in time to Mrs. Woolf's novel than now. The film has a larger cast than her novel, with many neat small parts, such as the supercillious landlady of a modest hotel.
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Moody and Effective. - The Dark Man review by NC
A murderer thinks a young woman may be able to identify him, so looks for a chance to eliminate her. It's an above average cheapie with several moments of real suspense, particularly one beach scene, wordless and perfectly judged in its eerie atmosphere, reminiscent of Jonathan Miller's 'Whistle and I'll Come to You'. There is genuine edginess in the dark man's shadowy presence, patiently awaiting his chance.
Unfortunately, a minus or two prevent a better viewing experience. There are some cringeworthy lines, stereotypical characterisation, holes in the plot large enough for the whole cast to fall through, threads taken up and dropped for no discernible reason. Most damaging is the supposed romance between Edward Underdown's policeman and Natasha Parry, the dark man's quarry. Not for a moment does it ring true.
Maxwell Reed plays the dark man, William Hartnell is a high-ranking policeman, and an impossibly young Barbara Murray plays Parry's friend.
It's not meant to be anything but entertainment, and in that sense it succeeds.
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