Model For Murder

This well-paced British crime thriller from 1959 has cult actors Hazel Court and Michael Gough in the lead roles, with a strong supporting cast from the likes of Patricia Jessel. Set against the glamorous world of London’s West End fashion scene, the plot concerns a daring robbery that goes pear-shaped indeed when a successful model happens to turn up at the wrong place at the wrong moment.

Kingsley Beauchamp (M. Gough) is a successful stylist who, with the considerable help of financial backer and general business partner Madame Dupont (P. Jessel), runs a fashion emporium that seems to do well. One of his most loyal employees is Sally Meadows (H. Court), a talented fashion designer whose sister Annabelle (Jean Aubrey) also works for Beauchamp – as one of his models. One day during a visit at her parents grave Sally meets American sailor David Martens (Keith Andes), on British shore to visit the grave of his brother Jack. As if it wasn’t coincidence enough, Martens dead brother Jack was the fiancè of spoilt and headstrong top model Diana Leigh (Julia Arnall). Take a wild guess for which firm Diana does some modelling? You could almost call it family business!

During a brief conversation, Martens reveals the reasons for his visit and Sally reveals that she happens to know Diana; after all, they work for the same company. Martens would like to hand Diana a piece of memorabilia that once belonged to his brother, so Sally arranges for him to drop by the next day during business hours as everyone is working on a brand-new collection. When Martens drops by as arranged, he introduces himself to his dead brother’s ex-fiancee but it is Sally who he asks out for dinner that evening. In turn, Diana invites them to her and friend in a restaurant that same evening. The top model is wearing a gold-lame dress and expensive jewels on loan from a Duchess. Although she won’t be allowed to wear the jewels for her dinner Madame Dupont gives in and lets Diana wear the dress under one condition: it has to be returned spotless and ready for next day’s showcase. In the restaurant the various acquaintances mingle for a while, then Sally and her party leave, while Diana gets increasingly nervous about still not having returned the dress. To the frustration of her partner (or sugar daddy to be more precise) she dashes out to return the dress to Beauchamp’s shop for which she has a key. Unfortunately for her, Beauchamp’s buddies are in the middle of robbing the Duchess’ jewels from the safe (by order of ‘boss’ Beauchamp!) when Diana happens to accidentally interrupt them. Never one for taking any risks, one of the robbers, Costard (Edwin Richfield) kills Diana. But she wasn’t the only surprise visitor, for Martens also snoops about the building. This provides them with the genius idea of knocking the ‘Yank’ unconscious, placing a stolen bracelet in his pocket and putting him into Beauchamp’s car which they report stolen but intend on crashing with Martens inside.

Later, Beauchamp and Costard get rid of Diana’s body and audaciously plan their getaway direction Amsterdam in order to sell the stolen jewels. However, luck is not on their side for Martens not only survives the staged crash but Diana’s body is discovered in a river. Although the local police make Martens a prime suspect he is adamant to prove that it was Beauchamp and partners-in-crime who are to blame both for the murder and the theft. With the help of Sally, who in the meantime has fallen in love with the sailor, and sister Annabelle they set out to foil Beauchamp’s plans of escape…

The film is well acted - in particular by Hazel Court who is convinced from the word go that her new romantic interest cannot possibly be guilty. At the other end of the spectrum lies Michael Gough’s scheming and dastardly persona as Beauchamp, a man who doesn’t even shy away from murder and blackmail to get what he wants. Of course he does not! Keith Andes as sailor Martens embroiled in the mess plays his part in typical American gung-ho manner and just about gets away with it.

The DVD offers the film in a new transfer and with the following SPECIAL FEATURES:

* Image Gallery
* Promotional Material PDFs