Film 2014 : The Silent Passenger (1935)
Lord Peter Wimsey’s screen debut re-unites the director and some of the key cast from “Death at Broadcasting House”, in a screenplay adapted from a short (unpublished) story by Dorothy L Sayers. We find Lord Peter on assignment (presumably of his own volition) in a railway hotel discreetly keeping tabs on a blackmailer. Meanwhile Donald Wolfit is up to no good with a steamer trunk on the train just pulling into the station - he, too, has the blackmailer in his sights…
Peter Haddon reprises his silly ass toff act from “Death at Broadcasting House”, which with another performer (or indeed screenplay) could come across as a façade to lull his opponents into underestimating him - but doesn’t here. Indeed, Mrs Fen, the household’s resident Wimsey expert, couldn’t see much of DLS’ character in his portrayal, so we settled for trying spot what bits of the film seemed most in keeping with Sayers’ plotting. Wimsey spots that a railway porter has suspiciously well-ironed creases in his trousers, his relationship with his brother-in-law Inspector Parker fits the canon, and Wimsey gets a crime scene all to himself by arranging for Bunter to book the room in the railway hotel where the murder occurs.
Reginald Denham’s direction doesn’t seem to have developed much in terms of style or sophistication since “Death… “, although this time around he does get to go on location. Donald Wolfit is the pick of the cast, but not even he can make some of the more bizarre twists in the plot involving his character credible. Network’s film print is in pretty good shape, but neither of us were tempted by the prospect of the alternate cut ‘featuring a slightly extended final reel’ on The Ealing Studios Rarity Collection, Volume 8.
Next Episode : The Next of Kin
Peter Haddon reprises his silly ass toff act from “Death at Broadcasting House”, which with another performer (or indeed screenplay) could come across as a façade to lull his opponents into underestimating him - but doesn’t here. Indeed, Mrs Fen, the household’s resident Wimsey expert, couldn’t see much of DLS’ character in his portrayal, so we settled for trying spot what bits of the film seemed most in keeping with Sayers’ plotting. Wimsey spots that a railway porter has suspiciously well-ironed creases in his trousers, his relationship with his brother-in-law Inspector Parker fits the canon, and Wimsey gets a crime scene all to himself by arranging for Bunter to book the room in the railway hotel where the murder occurs.
Reginald Denham’s direction doesn’t seem to have developed much in terms of style or sophistication since “Death… “, although this time around he does get to go on location. Donald Wolfit is the pick of the cast, but not even he can make some of the more bizarre twists in the plot involving his character credible. Network’s film print is in pretty good shape, but neither of us were tempted by the prospect of the alternate cut ‘featuring a slightly extended final reel’ on The Ealing Studios Rarity Collection, Volume 8.
Next Episode : The Next of Kin