The Last Curtain

The Last Curtain
Opening titles
Directed byDavid MacDonald
Written by
Produced byAnthony Havelock-Allan
Starring
CinematographyFrancis Carver
Edited byLister Laurance
Production
company
Distributed byParamount British Pictures
Release date
  • 23 July 1937 (1937-07-23)
Running time
67 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The Last Curtain is a 1937 British comedy crime film directed by David MacDonald and starring Campbell Gullan, Kenne Duncan and Greta Gynt.[1][2] It was written by Derek B. Mayne and A. R. Rawlinson, and made at Pinewood Studios as a quota quickie.[3][4] The film's sets were designed by John Bryan. It was the first film for comedy actor Joss Ambler who went on to star with such comedy stalwarts as George Formby and Will Hay.

Plot

Insurance assessor Bob Fenton is investigating a series of robberies. He uncovers the burglars living in a bakery, where the jewels are hidden in doughnuts. Pretending to be a villain, Fenton is hired by the gang's boss, Joe Garsatti, to surveil the actor Sir Alan Masterville, who fences the jewels. Garsatti is suspicious of Fenton and, dressed as him, shoots Masterville, who, before he dies, is able to identify Garsatti as his murderer.[5]

Cast

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The plot is neat and well handled and gives ample scope to Campbell Gullan as Sir Alan; his satire of a temperamental actor is excellent. John Wickham provides good looks and plenty of dash as the hero. The technical qualities are first-class."[5]

The Daily Film Renter wrote: "Crook melodrama in West End theatre setting, told with equal emphasis on both comedy and dramatic angles. New treatment of familiar situations, allied with smooth and imaginative direction which brings out subtleties of humorous angle of hammy actor-manager and conceits of stage-land, makes picture a usable supporting feature."[6]

Picture Show wrote: "Here is a very exciting and ingenious crook drama which is relieved by some very smart comedy."[7]

References

  1. ↑ "The Last Curtain". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  2. ↑ "BFI | Film & TV Database | The Last Curtain (1937)". BFI. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  3. ↑ Wood, Linda (1986). British Films, 1927–1939 (PDF). British Film Institute. p. 95. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 October 2022.
  4. ↑ Chibnall, Steve (2007). Quota Quickies: The Birth of the British 'B' Film. British Film Institute. p. 295. ISBN 978-1844571550.
  5. 1 2 "The Last Curtain". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 4 (37): 142. 1 January 1937. ProQuest 1305800379.
  6. ↑ "The Last Curtain". The Daily Film Renter (3): 4. 24 July 1937. ProQuest 2826334751.
  7. ↑ "The Last Curtain". Picture Show. 37 (955): 5. 14 August 1937. ProQuest 1880290340.
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