Can circumstantial evidence be enough to condemn an innocent man to die? The answer, according to this seldom seen 1951 British film, seems to be, yes, indeed!
A criminal has been stalking women at night around the West End in London. We watch as one young woman is stabbed to death by a dark stranger that was following her. Shortly after, we see two women emerge from a stage door after a performance. They agree to go for a drink, but Rose Mallory, the beautiful young woman that was supposed to have met the man she has been dating, decides to go to her bedsit in Earls Court. The same killer has decided to pay her a visit, this time in her own home whose door he finds open.
Arthur Groome, a married man, makes the mistake of going after his lover. Unknown to him, he uses a key, given to him by Rose, to enter the house, only to be scolded by Mrs. Rogers, the landlady for coming in after hours. What he finds, horrifies him, for Rose has been stabbed to death. Arthur, consumed by what he felt about the dead woman makes the mistake of holding her, thus getting incriminating evidence on his own clothes.
What follows is the conviction and trial of Arthur because everything conspires against him. His wife, Mary, is the only one that believes he is innocent. Mary, in spite of facing Arthur's betrayal, will stay by him and do everything in her power to save him from a clear death sentence.
The direction of "The Long Dark Hall" was shared by Reginald Beck and Anthony Bushell, who also appears as Arthur Gromme's defense attorney. This is an adaptation of a novel by Edgar Lustgarten, which might be the device used by the two writers that appear at the beginning and at the end of the film trying to dissect the case for the viewer. Two men are given credit for the screenplay, W.E. Fairchild and the great Nunnally Johnson. The film goes for the dramatics more than for an actual murder case because there are things that plainly do not make much sense, but one goes along with it.
Rex Harrison, an actor that had been at the center of a scandal in Hollywood some time before, seems to have taken the role of Arthur Groom to prove himself since he was not getting much work in America. His then wife, Lilli Palmer plays the deceived wife, Mary. In real life, Mr. Harrison had refused to divorce her in favor of Carole Landis, who ended up committing divorce. The film was a vehicle for the couple.
In supporting roles we see some excellent English actors doing a fine job. The creepy looking Anthony Dawson has a good time with his role. Brenda De Banzie showed up as Mrs. Rogers. Also Raymond Huntley, a veteran of the British cinema was on hand as the inspector Sullivan. In a cameo role we saw Jill Bennett get killed as the first murder victim.
A criminal has been stalking women at night around the West End in London. We watch as one young woman is stabbed to death by a dark stranger that was following her. Shortly after, we see two women emerge from a stage door after a performance. They agree to go for a drink, but Rose Mallory, the beautiful young woman that was supposed to have met the man she has been dating, decides to go to her bedsit in Earls Court. The same killer has decided to pay her a visit, this time in her own home whose door he finds open.
Arthur Groome, a married man, makes the mistake of going after his lover. Unknown to him, he uses a key, given to him by Rose, to enter the house, only to be scolded by Mrs. Rogers, the landlady for coming in after hours. What he finds, horrifies him, for Rose has been stabbed to death. Arthur, consumed by what he felt about the dead woman makes the mistake of holding her, thus getting incriminating evidence on his own clothes.
What follows is the conviction and trial of Arthur because everything conspires against him. His wife, Mary, is the only one that believes he is innocent. Mary, in spite of facing Arthur's betrayal, will stay by him and do everything in her power to save him from a clear death sentence.
The direction of "The Long Dark Hall" was shared by Reginald Beck and Anthony Bushell, who also appears as Arthur Gromme's defense attorney. This is an adaptation of a novel by Edgar Lustgarten, which might be the device used by the two writers that appear at the beginning and at the end of the film trying to dissect the case for the viewer. Two men are given credit for the screenplay, W.E. Fairchild and the great Nunnally Johnson. The film goes for the dramatics more than for an actual murder case because there are things that plainly do not make much sense, but one goes along with it.
Rex Harrison, an actor that had been at the center of a scandal in Hollywood some time before, seems to have taken the role of Arthur Groom to prove himself since he was not getting much work in America. His then wife, Lilli Palmer plays the deceived wife, Mary. In real life, Mr. Harrison had refused to divorce her in favor of Carole Landis, who ended up committing divorce. The film was a vehicle for the couple.
In supporting roles we see some excellent English actors doing a fine job. The creepy looking Anthony Dawson has a good time with his role. Brenda De Banzie showed up as Mrs. Rogers. Also Raymond Huntley, a veteran of the British cinema was on hand as the inspector Sullivan. In a cameo role we saw Jill Bennett get killed as the first murder victim.