Night of the Prowler
| Night of the Prowler | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Francis Searle |
| Written by | Paul Erickson |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Walter J. Harvey |
| Edited by | Jim Connock |
| Music by | Johnny Gregory |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Butcher's Film Distributors |
Release date |
|
Running time | 60 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Night of the Prowler is a 1962 British crime 'B' film[1] directed by Francis Searle and starring Patrick Holt, Colette Wilde and John Horsley.[2] It was written by Paul Erickson.
Plot
[edit]The head of a racing car company is murdered. Suspicion falls on a disgruntled ex-employee, but when he is found dead, the real murderer is revealed.
Cast
[edit]- Patrick Holt as Robert Langton
- Colette Wilde as Marie Langton
- Bill Nagy as Paul Conrad
- John Horsley as Detective Inspector Cameron
- Benny Lee as Benny
- Marianne Stone as Mrs. Cross
- Mark Singleton as Anders
- John Dunbar as Davies
- Robin Wentworth as Watts
- Tony Wager as Detective Sergeant Baker
- Jo Rowbottom as Elsie
- Mitzi Rogers as Jacky Reed
Production
[edit]The film was shot at Shepperton Studios, with sets designed by the art director George Provis.
Critical reception
[edit]The Monthly Film Bulletin said "As straightforward in presentation as it is in plot, this is a modest and rather unimaginative murder mystery, which yet manages to hold the attention, even if the solution is not likely to surprise armchair detectives. It is an agreeable, rather than an exciting second feature."[3]
The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 1/5 stars, writing: "British director Francis Searle had the distinction of making only one bill-topping feature in his entire 27-film career, the daft comedy A Girl in a Million [1946]. The remainder of his output consisted of B-movies, including this offering. Devotees of laughably bad low-budget crime movies should enjoy this tawdry tale of ambition, murder and deceit, set in the cut-throat world of the motor trade!"[4]
References
[edit]- ^ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 154. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
- ^ "Night of the Prowler". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
- ^ "Night of the Prowler". Monthly Film Bulletin. 30 (348): 102. 1 January 1963 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Radio Times Guide to Films (18th ed.). London: Immediate Media Company. 2017. p. 660. ISBN 9780992936440.