The Delavine Affair Explained

The Delavine Affair
Director:Douglas Peirce
Producer:John Croydon
Henry Passmore
Based On:Winter Wears a Shroud by Robert Chapman
Starring:Peter Reynolds
Honor Blackman
Gordon Jackson
Cinematography:Jonah Jones
Editing:Inman Hunter
Studio:Croydon Passmore Productions
Distributor:Monarch Film Corporation
Runtime:64 minutes
Country:United Kingdom
Language:English

The Delavine Affair is a 1955 British second feature[1] crime film directed by Douglas Peirce and starring Peter Reynolds, Honor Blackman and Gordon Jackson.[2] The screenplay was by George Fisher and Basil Boothroyd, based on the 1952 novel Winter Wears a Shroud by Robert Chapman.[3]

Plot

Journalist Rex Banner, with the aid of his wife Maxine, attempts to solve a jewel robbery, but the criminals try to frame Rex for their murder of a witness.

Cast

Production

The film was produced at Walton Studios and on location in West London, including Kensington and West Brompton. Sets were designed by the art director John Stoll.

Critical reception

Monthly Film Bulletin said: "A murder comedy-melodrama on familiar lines. The story is seldom very plausible, coincidence reaches out with a long arm, and the developments and the solution have their vague aspects. The film, though, is reasonably bright in tone, and the playing of the principals to some extent makes up in enthusiasm for what it lacks in polish."[4]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Witty comedy-thriller with over-familiar plot but polished performances."[5]

TV Guide gave the film two out of five stars, noting a "Routine crime drama."[6]

References

  1. Book: Chibnall, Steve . The British 'B' Film . McFarlane . Brian . . 2009 . 978-1-8445-7319-6 . London . 310.
  2. Web site: The Delavine Affair . 18 November 2023 . British Film Institute Collections Search.
  3. Book: Goble, Alan. The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. 1 January 1999. Walter de Gruyter. 9783110951943. Google Books.
  4. 1955 . The Delavine Affair . . 22 . 252 . 23 . ProQuest.
  5. Book: Quinlan, David . British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 . . 1984 . 0-7134-1874-5 . London . 300.
  6. Web site: The Delavine Affair . https://web.archive.org/web/20161222041745/http://www.tvguide.com/movies/the-delavine-affair/review/112653/ . 22 December 2016 . TV Guide .

External links