The Orchard End Murder

This obscure little film from 1981, set in a quaint Kent village during the 1960’s, is a peculiar mix of darkly twisted humour interspersed with sudden jolts of violence while at the same time, all is filmed so gorgeously as if producer and director had a promo film for the Kentish countryside in mind.

The plot, as it were, is pretty simple and although the events and characters depicted are fictional, director Christian Marnham revealed that a real-life murder, which occurred during his youth, was the inspiration for The Orchard End Murder.
The relatively short film (clocking in less than an hour) kicks into action when an attractive brunette called Pauline Cox (Tracy Hyde) frolics about with her boyfriend Mike (Mark Hardy) in an orchard yard nearby the sleepy village of Charthurst Green. When the young lovers hear some strange noise from behind the bushes, Pauline insists that someone is watching and the couple return to the village where Mike participates in a cricket match. Not really into the sport and somewhat disappointed that Mike seems to prefer playing cricket over spending a romantic afternoon with her, bored Pauline wanders off all by herself and leisurely strolls along idyllic country lanes until she reaches the local railway halt. Intrigued by the building and the collection of countless garden gnomes in the building’s front garden, Pauline can’t help to be intrigued by the sight and takes a closer look when suddenly, the bespectacled and gnome-like railway gatekeeper (Bill Wallis) spots her and promptly invites her into the house for tea. Weirder still, Pauline accepts and sure enough the railway gatekeeper serves up tea and cake and also some odd conversation. Out of nowhere, the very tall and half-witted Ewen (Clive Mantle) – a gardener of sorts and a friend of the gatekeeper – appears in the kitchen holding a fluffy bunny in his arms which Pauline can’t help but stroking in admiration. Seconds later, Ewen brutally smashes the poor bunny across the table, killing it instantly. While the gatekeeper is busy telling off Ewan for what he’d just done, the visibly upset Pauline is crying hysterically and makes her excuses to leave the house in a hurry… wouldn’t you?

Deciding to go back to her boyfriend and to the match, she encounters Ewen again along the way. He hands her a basket full of apples and mutters some excuses for having upset her so very much earlier on. Not only does Pauline accept his apology but allows the brute to kiss him… not that this makes any sense unless the girl is as half-witted as he is! As his advances towards her become fiercer she tries to break free but he grabs her and pulls her into a huge ditch in an apple orchard where he first rapes her and then strangles her. Realising what he has done, he makes a desperate attempt to bury the naked corpse with apples – the scene would be funny were it not so unsettling. By chance the railway keeper finds out what Ewan has done and realising the possible implications – after all, the murdered girl did drop by in his house for tea – decides to help Ewen in disposing of the corpse properly, both with macabre and humorous results…

The acting here is excellent, in particular Bill Wallis strikes the perfect balance between the seemingly harmless railway keeper although he turns out to be even more bonkers than the unhinged Ewen. Equally excellent is Peter Jessops camerawork and the inspired editing adds the finishing touch.
This Dual Format Edition furthermore boasts some interesting bonus material, including the 25-min long documentary short The Showman (1970) about fairground showman Wally Shufflebottom (for real!) and his Wild West Striptease show titled ‘Golden Carter’. You need to see it to believe it – there is no way such a show would be permitted in nowadays politically oh so correct climate!