The Malpas Mystery - Misplaced Pages

1960 British film directed by Sidney Hayers

The Malpas Mystery

Directed by	Sidney Hayers
Written by	Paul Tabori Gordon Wellesley
Based on	novel The Face in the Night by Edgar Wallace
Produced by	Julian Wintle Leslie Parkyn
Starring	Maureen Swanson Allan Cuthbertson Geoffrey Keen
Cinematography	Michael Reed
Edited by	Tristam Cones
Music by	Elisabeth Lutyens
Production companies	Independent Artists Langton Productions
Distributed by	Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors (UK)
Release date	October 1960 (1960-10) (UK)
Running time	69 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

The Malpas Mystery is a 1960 British second feature ('B') crime film, directed by Sidney Hayers and starring Maureen Swanson and Allan Cuthbertson. The screenplay was by Paul Tabori and Gordon Wellesley, based on the 1924 Edgar Wallace novel The Face in the Night.

Although originally made by Independent Artists at Beaconsfield studios, it was included in the Merton Park series of Edgar Wallace Mysteries. It went on general release on the ABC Cinemas circuit on 17 September 1961 supporting Raising the Wind (1961).

Plot

When Audrey Bedford is released from prison, she finds herself embroiled with mysterious doctors, missing heirs, diamonds and murder. Her step-sister has dubious motives for letting her stay with her, an employer wants to pay her to work for somebody else, and a detective, convinced that she was wrongly convicted, tries despite her protests to protect her from further trouble.

Cast

Maureen Swanson as Audrey Bedford
Allan Cuthbertson as Lacey Marshalt
Geoffrey Keen as Torrington
Ronald Howard as Dick Shannon
Sandra Dorne as Dora Elton
Alan Tilvern as Gordon Seager
Leslie French as Witkins
Catherine Feller as Jinette
Richard Shaw as Kornfeldt
Sheila Allen as Frau Kornfeldt
Edward Cast as Laker

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "As intriguing as most films featuring an apparently maimed, shaggy and faceless recluse holed up in a derelict house, The Malpas Mystery grips because a sparkling pace manages to conceal most of its narrative shortcomings. Slightly above the average of Merton Park's recent Edgar Wallace adaptations, it is competently made maintains its air of mystery."

Kine Weekly wrote: "Intriguing mystery melodrama. ... The plot is a tangled skein, but the cast and drirector quickly unravel it in circumstances that furnish all round lively entertainment."

Variety said: "Very complicated plot, involving jewel thieves and the reunion of a father with a long-lost daughter can be followed if attention is paid. Maureen Swanson makes an appealing heroine, her vulnerability adding to the suspense."

References

Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 236. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
"The Malpas Mystery". British Film Institute Collection Search. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
"The Edgar Wallace Mysteries Volume 1". www.dvdbeaver.com.
"The Malpas Mystery (1961)". BFI. Archived from the original on 20 September 2018.
"Breakout". Monthly Film Bulletin. 28 (324): 23. 1 January 1961.
"The Malpas Mystery". Kine Weekly. 523 (2778): 10. 29 December 1960.
"The Malpas Mystery". Variety. 255 (1): 6. 31 December 1962.

External links

v t e Films directed by Sidney Hayers
Violent Moment (1959) The White Trap (1959) Circus of Horrors (1960) Echo of Barbara (1960) The Malpas Mystery (1960) Payroll (1961) Night of the Eagle (1962) This Is My Street (1964) The Trap (1966) Three Hats for Lisa (1966) Finders Keepers (1966) The Southern Star (1969) Mister Jerico (1969) The Firechasers (1971) Assault (1971) Revenge (1971) All Coppers Are... (1972) Deadly Strangers (1974) What Changed Charley Farthing? (1975) Diagnosis: Murder (1975) One Away (1976) The Seekers (1979) Condominium (1980)
Category

Films directed by Sidney Hayers

Violent Moment (1959)
The White Trap (1959)
Circus of Horrors (1960)
Echo of Barbara (1960)
The Malpas Mystery (1960)
Payroll (1961)
Night of the Eagle (1962)
This Is My Street (1964)
The Trap (1966)
Three Hats for Lisa (1966)
Finders Keepers (1966)
The Southern Star (1969)
Mister Jerico (1969)
The Firechasers (1971)
Assault (1971)
Revenge (1971)
All Coppers Are... (1972)
Deadly Strangers (1974)
What Changed Charley Farthing? (1975)
Diagnosis: Murder (1975)
One Away (1976)
The Seekers (1979)
Condominium (1980)

Category

Edgar Wallace

Novels

The Four Just Men (1905)
Angel Esquire (1908)
The Council of Justice (1908)
Captain Tatham (1909)
The Duke in the Suburbs (1909)
The Nine Bears (1910)
Private Selby (1912)
The Fourth Plague (1913)
Grey Timothy (1913)
The River of Stars (1913)
The Man Who Bought London (1915)
The Melody of Death (1915)
A Debt Discharged (1916)
The Tomb of Ts'in (1916)
The Just Men of Cordova (1917)
The Secret House (1917)
The Clue of the Twisted Candle (1918)
Down Under Donovan (1918)
The Man Who Knew (1918)
Those Folk of Bulboro (1918)
The Green Rust (1919)
Kate Plus Ten (1919)
The Daffodil Mystery (1920)
Jack O'Judgment (1920)
The Book of All Power (1921)
The Law of the Four Just Men (1921)
The Angel of Terror (1922)
The Crimson Circle (1922)
The Flying Fifty-Five (1922)
Mr. Justice Maxell (1922)
The Valley of Ghosts (1922)
The Clue of the New Pin (1923)
The Green Archer (1923)
The Missing Million (1923)
The Dark Eyes of London (1924)
Double Dan (1924)
The Face in the Night (1924)
Room 13 (1924)
The Sinister Man (1924)
The Three Oak Mystery (1924)
Blue Hand (1925)
The Fellowship of the Frog (1925)
The Mind of Mr. J. G. Reeder (1925)
The Strange Countess (1925)
The Three Just Men (1925)
The Avenger (1926)
Barbara on Her Own (1926)
The Black Abbot (1926)
The Northing Tramp (1926)
The Terrible People (1926)
The Yellow Snake (1926)
The Big Foot (1927)
Terror Keep (1927)
The Traitor's Gate (1927)
The Squeaker (1927)
The Forger (1927)
Again the Three (1928)
The Gunner (1928)
Four Square Jane (1929)
The Green Ribbon (1929)
The India-Rubber Men (1929)
The Calendar (1930)
The Clue of the Silver Key (1930)
The Lady of Ascot (1930)
The Man at the Carlton (1931)
The Guv'nor and Other Short Stories (1932)

Plays

An African Millionaire (1904)
M'Lady (1921)
Double Dan (1927)
The Terror (1927)
The Man Who Changed His Name (1928)
The Calendar (1929)
Persons Unknown (1929)
On the Spot (1930)
The Mouthpiece (1930)
Smoky Cell (1930)
The Old Man (1931)

Screenplays

Adaptations

J. G. Reeder	Mr. Reeder in Room 13 (1938) The Mind of Mr. Reeder (1939) The Missing People (1940) The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder (1969, TV series)
The Four Just Men	The Four Just Men (1921) The Four Just Men (1939) The Four Just Men (1959, TV series)
Edgar Wallace Mysteries	Urge to Kill (1960) Clue of the Twisted Candle (1960) The Malpas Mystery (1960) Marriage of Convenience (1960) The Clue of the New Pin (1961) Man at the Carlton Tower (1961) The Fourth Square (1961) Man Detained (1961) Attempt to Kill (1961) Clue of the Silver Key (1961) Never Back Losers (1961) Partners in Crime (1961) The Sinister Man (1961) Time to Remember (1962) Playback (1962) Solo for Sparrow (1962) Locker Sixty-Nine (1962) Incident at Midnight (1963) Return to Sender (1963) Ricochet (1963) Accidental Death (1963) Five to One (1963) The Verdict (1964) We Shall See (1964) Act of Murder (1964) Change Partners (1965)
Rialto Films	Der Frosch mit der Maske (1959) The Crimson Circle (1960) The Avenger (1960) The Terrible People (1960) The Green Archer (1961) The Dead Eyes of London (1961) The Devil's Daffodil (1961) The Forger of London (1961) The Strange Countess (1961) The Puzzle of the Red Orchid (1962) The Door with Seven Locks (1962) The Inn on the River (1962) The Curse of the Yellow Snake (1963) The Squeaker (1963) The Black Abbot (1963) The Indian Scarf (1963) Room 13 (1964) The Curse of the Hidden Vault (1964) Der Hexer (1964) The Traitor's Gate (1964) Neues vom Hexer (1965) The Sinister Monk (1965) The Hunchback of Soho (1966) The Trygon Factor (1966) Creature with the Blue Hand (1967) The Monk with the Whip (1967) The Hound of Blackwood Castle (1968) Im Banne des Unheimlichen (1968) The Gorilla of Soho (1968) Double Face (1969) The Man with the Glass Eye (1969) The Body in the Thames (1971)
Other	The Man Who Bought London (1916) The Green Terror (1919) Pallard the Punter (1919) Angel Esquire (1919) Wanted at Headquarters (1920) The River of Stars (1921) The Crimson Circle (1922) Down Under Donovan (1922) Melody of Death (1922) The Diamond Man (1924) The Flying Fifty-Five (1924) The Green Archer (1925 serial) The Great Unknown (1927) The Terror (1928) Mark of the Frog (1928 serial) Chick (1928) The Forger (1928) The Terrible People (1928 serial) The Ringer (1928) The Man Who Changed His Name (1928) The Flying Squad (1929) The Crimson Circle (1929) The Clue of the New Pin (1929) Red Aces (1930) The Squeaker (1930) The Yellow Mask (1930) The Ringer (1931) To Oblige a Lady (1931) The Calendar (1931) The Old Man (1931) The Squeaker (1931) The Flying Squad (1932) The Frightened Lady (1932) The Ringer (1932) The Menace (1932) White Face (1932) Giallo (1933) The Jewel (1933) Before Dawn (1933) The Double (1934) Mystery Liner (1934) The Green Pack (1934) The Feathered Serpent (1934) The Lad (1935) Sanders of the River (1935) Born to Gamble (1935) Chick (1936) Educated Evans (1936) The Crimson Circle (1936) Prison Breaker (1936) Strangers on Honeymoon (1936) The Frog (1937) The Squeaker (1937) The Gaunt Stranger (1938) Dangerous to Know (1938) Kate Plus Ten (1938) Thank Evans (1938) The Terror (1938) The Return of the Frog (1938) Flying Fifty-Five (1939) The Dark Eyes of London (1939) The Case of the Frightened Lady (1940) The Door with Seven Locks (1940) The Flying Squad (1940) The Green Archer (1940 serial) The Missing Million (1942) The Calendar (1948) The Ringer (1952) The Avenger (1960) Death Drums Along the River (1963) Coast of Skeletons (1964) Circus of Fear (1966) Five Golden Dragons (1967) The Devil Came from Akasava (1970) The Bloodstained Butterfly (1971) What Have You Done to Solange? (1972) Seven Blood-Stained Orchids (1972)
Television	Educated Evans (1957–58) The Mixer (1992)

Family

Mary Jane Richards (mother)
Marriott Edgar (half-brother)
Bryan Edgar Wallace (son)

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