''Calling Paul Temple'' is a 1948

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

crime film Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as Drama (film and television), dr ...

directed by

Maclean Rogers Maclean Rogers (13 July 1899 – 4 January 1962) was a British film director and screenwriter. Selected filmography Director * ''The Third Eye (1929 film), The Third Eye'' (1929) * ''The Mayor's Nest'' (1932) * ''Up for the Derby'' (1933) * ...

and starring John Bentley,

Dinah Sheridan Dinah Sheridan (born Dinah Nadyejda Ginsburg; 17 September 1920 – 25 November 2012) was an English actress with a career spanning seven decades. She was best known for the films ''Genevieve (film), Genevieve'' (1953) and ''The Railway Children ...

and

Margaretta Scott Margaretta Mary Winifred ScottBrian McFarlane, "Scott, Margaretta Mary Winifred (1912–2005)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, Jan 201available online Retrieved 30 August 2020. (13 February 1912 – 15 Apr ...

. It was the second in a series of four Paul Temple films distributed by Butcher's Film Service. The first was ''

Send for Paul Temple ''Send for Paul Temple'' is a 1946 British crime film directed by John Argyle and starring Anthony Hulme, Joy Shelton and Tamara Desni. Paul Temple is called in by Scotland Yard after a major diamond theft. It was the first of four film adap ...

'' (1946), with Anthony Hulme as Paul Temple. John Bentley then took over the role in ''Calling Paul Temple'', continuing for two further films: ''

Paul Temple's Triumph ''Paul Temple's Triumph'' is a 1950 British second feature ('B') crime film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring John Bentley, Dinah Sheridan and Jack Livesey. It was the third in the series of four Paul Temple films made at Nettlefold S ...

'' (1950) and '' Paul Temple Returns'' (1952).Paul Temple on Film
/ref> It was produced by Ernest G. Roy at the Nettlefold Film Studios in Walton On Thames.

Plot

A woman is found dead on a train, and the name "Rex" has been written on the pull-down blind. It is the third in a mysterious string of "Rex" murders, all carried out on trains. And soon there's a fourth murder. All the victims are discovered to have been the wealthy patients of a doctor who specialises in nervous disorders. The detective novelist Paul Temple and his wife Steve are called in to help

Scotland Yard Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London's London boroughs, 32 boroughs. Its name derives from the location of the original ...

's Sir Graham Forbes solve the case before the serial killer strikes again. While at a nightclub, they receive a message from singer Norma Rice concerning the murders. But before Sir Graham has the chance to speak to her she dies, falling down the stairs in the middle of her second number, ''What's Cooking in Cabaret''?. The suspects include the Egyptian therapist Dr Kohima, his mysterious secretary Mrs Trevelyan, and a salesman, Hugh Pryse of the Quick Boil Kettle Company (in the next carriage when one of the murders takes place).

Production

''Calling Paul Temple'' was based on the

Francis Durbridge Francis Henry Durbridge (; 25 November 1912 – 10 April 1998) was an English dramatist and author, best known for the creation of the character Paul Temple, the gentlemanly detective who appeared in 16 BBC multi-part radio serials from 1 ...

radio serial ''Send for Paul Temple Again'', broadcast in September 1945. Writing credits for the film are Francis Durbridge, A.R. Rawlinson & Kathleen Butler.

Steve Race Stephen Russell Race OBE (1 April 192122 June 2009) was an English composer, pianist and radio and television presenter. Early life He was born in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, the son of a lawyer, Race learned the piano from the age of five.Spenc ...

(with Sid Colin) wrote the two songs performed by Celia Lipton, and appeared himself as the bandleader in the nightclub section.Credits and the song 'Lady on the Loose' by Steve Race and Sid Colin, from ''Calling Paul Temple'' (1948)
/ref> The footage includes evocative shots of gothic

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...

in the 1940s.

Cast

References

External links

* {{Maclean Rogers 1948 films British crime films 1948 crime films 1940s serial killer films Films directed by Maclean Rogers Films set in Kent Films shot in Kent British black-and-white films Films based on radio series Films produced by Ernest G. Roy 1940s English-language films 1940s British films English-language crime films