Classic British Thrillers

THE PHANTOM LIGHT (1935)Michael Powell directed this creepy quota quickie before his success with the Academy Award® winning BLACK NARCISSUS and THE RED SHOES and the cult classic PEEPING TOM.The disappearance of two lighthouse keepers stationed on the desolate coast of Wales is linked to the specter of a rogue beacon that lures freight ships to their destruction on the rocks. Gordon Harker (Alfred Hitchcock s THE RING) and Binnie Hale (LOVE FROM A STRANGER) star as bickering sleuths who must solve the mystery of The Phantom Light or become its next victims!RED ENSIGN (1935)This fact-based expose of corruption and sabotage in the British shipping industry is another early work from acclaimed director Michael Powell.With England s commercial fleet in decline idealistic shipbuilder David Barr (THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME s Leslie Banks) conceives a radical new design to revolutionize the industry. Denied capital to proceed by his firm s board of directors Barr funds the project himself attracting the support of a beautiful heiress and the attention of a ruthless rival who will stop at nothing even murder to obtain Barr s top secret design.THE UPTURNED GLASS (1947)Before he was a multiple Academy Award® nominee James Mason (LOLITA) starred as a surgeon turned sleuth in this absorbing revenge thriller.After sparing the eyesight of a young patient Dr. Michael Joyce falls in love with the girl s grateful mother Emma Wright (Rosamund John) whose husband has been absent for years. When her man returns unexpectedly Emma reluctantly ends the affair only to be killed in a mysterious fall. Using his surgical skills to trace the killer Michael begins his own investigation but has no intention of handing the murderer over to the police.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/CLASSICS UPC: 030306786094 Manufacturer No: DVD7860 Product Description

A lighthouse, a boat, a plummet

The two Michael Powell directed pictures in CLASSIC BRITISH THRILLERS give good indication of the great work he'd produce later, although they are somewhat hampered by small budgets. The James and Pamela Mason murder mystery is quite engaging.

SYNOPSES--

THE PHANTOM LIGHT-- The lighthouse keeper at a quaint Welsh coast village dies mysteriously, and his lighthouse is now supposedly haunted-- an unexplained light keeps shining on the scene of his death. The story's atmosphere is literal, with lots of blanketing fog, plus a murder mystery that's equally shrouded and obscured. Primarily filmed within a lighthouse, this whodunit has more than its share of ethnic humor.

RED ENSIGN-- Leslie Banks plays a somewhat pushy manager of a shipyard whose revolutionary boat design encounters much opposition and skullduggery from the competition and his own financers.

THE UPTURNED GLASS-- A story told in flashback. Neurosurgeon's affair with a married woman ends with her defenestrated death. Suspecting the woman's sister is involved, the surgeon plots revenge on her. Easily the best of this small collection. Co-written by Pamela Mason.


CLASSIC FILM NOIR, Vol. 3 - 10 Movie Pack (from ST. CLAIR) contains one very fine British-made suspense movie, plus many other unusual stories.


Parenthetical numbers preceding titles are 1 to 10 viewer poll ratings found at a film resource website.

(5.3) The Phantom Light (UK-1935) - Binnie Hale/Gordon Harker/Ian Hunter/Donald Calthrop/Milton Rosmer

(5.8) Red Ensign (UK-1934) - Leslie Banks/Carol Goodner/Frank Vosper/Alfred Drayton/Donald Calthrop

(6.5) The Upturned Glass (UK-1947) - James Mason/Rosamund John/Pamela Mason/Ann Stephens/Morland Gray July 10, 2008

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