The Crooked Lady
| The Crooked Lady | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Directed by | Leslie S. Hiscott |
| Written by | H. Fowler Mear |
| Based on | novel The Crooked Lady by William S. Stone[2] |
| Produced by | Julius Hagen |
| Starring | George Graves Isobel Elsom Austin Trevor |
Production company | Real Art Productions |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (UK) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 75 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The Crooked Lady is a 1932 British drama film directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and starring George Graves, Isobel Elsom, Ursula Jeans and Austin Trevor.[3] It was written by H. Fowler Mear based on the novel of the same title by William S. Stone. A quota quickie,[4] it was filmed at Twickenham Studios.[5]
Plot
Ex-army Captain James Kent is out of work, and gets involved with a gang of thieves, but decides to go straight when he falls in love with lady detective Joan Collinson.[6]
Cast
- George Graves as Sir Charles Murdoch
- Isobel Elsom as Miriam Sinclair
- Ursula Jeans as Joan Collinson
- Austin Trevor as Captain James Kent
- Alexander Field as Slim Barrett
- Edmund Willard as Joseph Garstin
- S. J. Warmington as Inspector Hilton
- Frank Pettingell as Hugh Weldon
- Moore Marriott as Crabby
- Henry B. Longhurst as John Morland
- Paddy Browne as Susie
Preservation status
The British Film Institute National Archive holds no stills or ephemera, and no film or video materials.[3]
Reception
Film Weekly wrote: "An unusual and quite entertaining British mixtare of crook melodrama and Cockney comedy. Much of the film's appeal depends on the performances of a really noteworthy cast. George Graves has little to do as the foppish baronet, but whenever he gets a chance he extracts the maximum of comedy from the minimum of opportunity. Ursula Jeans is quite delightful as the lady detective, Alexander Field contributes a very good study of a Cockney crook, and Austin Trevor acts smoothly as the officer turned thief."[6]
Kine Weekly wrote: "A thoroughly sound British melodrama livened with Cockney humour and very well acted and produced. It should go down with practically any audience, the stars' performances, though of the thumbnail variety, affording an additional box-office pull."[7]
The Daily Film Renter wrote: "Excellent comedy-drama of ex-officer who becomes a crook, but goes straight when he finds that he has robbed widow of man who lost his life in saving his (the officer's) life. A good thrill, on somewhat old-fashioned lines, and good dialogue, together with a good comedy characterisation by Alexander Field, are features of a picture which will score direct hit everywhere."[8]
Picturegoer wrote: "The main points of interest in this picture, which opens very well, but later becomes rather overburdened with dialogue, are the appearance of George Graves and some good characterisations both of a serious and a comedy nature."[9]
References
- ↑ "The Crooked Lady". Picturegoer. 1 (46): 24. 9 April 1932. ProQuest 1771152894.
- ↑ Goble, Alan (1 January 1999). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. p. 724. ISBN 9783110951943 – via Google Books.
- 1 2 "The Crooked Lady". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- ↑ Chibnall, Steve (2007). Quota Quickies: The Birth of the British 'B' Film. British Film Institute. p. 193. ISBN 978-1844571550.
- ↑ Wood, Linda (1986). British Films, 1927–1939 (PDF). British Film Institute. p. 74. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 October 2022.
- 1 2 "The Crooked Lady". Film Weekly. 8 (200): 25. 12 August 1932. ProQuest 1705183659.
- ↑ "The Crooked Lady". Kine Weekly. 181 (1301): 24. 24 March 1932. ProQuest 2322673975.
- ↑ "The Crooked Lady". The Daily Film Renter (1589): 4. 17 March 1932. ProQuest 2594633015.
- ↑ "The Crooked Lady". Picturegoer. 2 (64): 19. 13 August 1932. ProQuest 1771153060.