''Attempt to Kill'' is a 1961 British second feature ('B') film directed by

Royston Morley John Royston Morley (25 August 1912 – 14 October 1991), was a British television producer, director and writer. He was among the earliest television producers, and also trained new producers for the BBC and in Australia. Life and career Morley ...

and starring

Derek Farr Derrick Capel Farr (7 February 191221 March 1986) was an English actor who appeared regularly in British films and television from 1938 until his death in 1986. His more famous roles include Group Captain John Whitworth in '' The Dam Busters' ...

and Tony Wright. The screenplay was by

Richard Harris Richard St John Francis Harris (1 October 1930 – 25 October 2002) was an Irish actor and singer. Having studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, he rose to prominence as an icon of the British New Wave. He received numerous a ...

, based on the 1929

Edgar Wallace Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1 April 1875 – 10 February 1932) was a British writer of crime and adventure fiction. Born into poverty as an illegitimate London child, Wallace left school at the age of 12. He joined the army at age 21 and was ...

novel ''The Lone House Mystery.'' It is part of the series of

Edgar Wallace Mysteries The ''Edgar Wallace Mysteries'' is a British second-feature film series mainly produced at Merton Park Studios for Anglo-Amalgamated. There were 48 films in the series, which were released between 1960 and 1965. The series was screened as ''Th ...

films made at

Merton Park Studios Merton Park Studios, opened in 1929, was a British film production studio located at Long Lodge, 269 Kingston Road in Merton Park, South London. In the 1940s, it was owned by Piprodia Entertainment, Nikhanj Films and Film Producers Guild. Peter M ...

from 1960 to 1965.

Plot

A businessman fires one of his employees, then someone tries to murder him. The fired man becomes the prime suspect.

Cast

as Detective Inspector Minter * Tony Wright as Gerry Hamilton * Richard Pearson as Frank Weyman *

Freda Jackson Freda Maud Jackson (29 December 1907 – 20 October 1990) was an English stage actress who also worked in film and television. Early life and career Jackson was born in Nottingham in 1907. She made her stage debut on 1 January 1934 at the No ...

as Mrs. Weyman * Patricia Mort as Elisabeth Gray * J.G. Devlin as Elliott *

Clifford Earl Kenneth Clifford Earl (29 August 1933 – 30 July 2015) was an English actor who appeared in numerous television programmes and films. Early years Earl was born in Romney Marsh, Kent, England. He carried out his National Service in a medical ...

as Sergeant Bennett * Denis Holmes as Fraser * Allan Jeager as gardener *

Grace Arnold Grace Arnold (19 September 1894 – 26 February 1979) was an England, English actress. Selected filmography * ''Guilt (1931 film), Guilt'' (1931) * ''Men Without Honour'' (1939) - Mrs. Hardy * ''Crimes at the Dark House'' (1940) - Maid (uncred ...

as housekeeper *

Trevor Reid Trevor Reid (25 January 190816 April 1965) was an English actor. He was born in Liverpool, the son of David Reid and Grace Adelaide (née Thomas) at 25 Cheltenham Avenue near to Sefton Park. After leaving school he worked for four years at the L ...

as bank manager * Frances Bennett as barmaid

Production

Filming took place at Merton Park in June 1960.

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 until April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those wi ...

'' wrote: "Derek Farr's resourceful performance as the Inspector, and the Thames setting, are the only assets in this unoriginal Edgar Wallace thriller." ''Kinematograph Weekly'' called it "a good British second."

References

External links

''Attempt to Kill''
at BFI
''Attempt to Kill''
at Letterbox DVD
''Attempt to Kill''
at

IMDb IMDb, historically known as the Internet Movie Database, is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and biograp ...

''Attempt to Kill''
at Reel Streets {{Edgar Wallace 1961 films British drama films 1961 drama films 1960s English-language films Edgar Wallace Mysteries British black-and-white films 1960s British films English-language drama films