''Crow Hollow'' is a 1952 British second feature ('B')

mystery film A mystery film is a film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur Detective, sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means of clues, ...

directed by Michael McCarthy and starring

Donald Houston Donald Daniel Houston (6 November 1923 – 13 October 1991) was a Welsh actor whose first two films—'' The Blue Lagoon'' (1949) with Jean Simmons, and '' A Run for Your Money'' (1949) with Alec Guinness—were highly successful. Later in his ...

Natasha Parry Natasha Parry (2 December 1930 – 22 July 2015) was an English actress of Russian descent. The daughter of film director Gordon Parry, she was married to theatre director Peter Brook from 1951 until her death, and is the mother of filmmakers ...

and Patricia Owens. It was written by Vivian Milroy based on the 1950 novel ''Crow Hollow'' by Dorothy Eden. Newlywed Ann Amour survives a number of murder attempts, while her maid is found stabbed to death by unknown assailants. The film was part financed by

Nat Cohen Nat Cohen (23 December 1905 – 10 February 1988)William D. Rubinstein, et al (eds.''The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History'' Palgrave Macmillan, 2011, p.171 was a British film producer and executive. For over four decades he was one of t ...

Plot

A young woman, Ann, falls in love with and marries Doctor Robert "Bob" Amour. She goes to live with him on his family estate, Crow Hollow, with his three eccentric aunts – for whom he is obliged to provide a home, as a condition of ownership of the estate. Ann becomes increasingly concerned about incidents and about the behaviour of the three aunts and also an attractive young maid called Willow. On one occasion a large venomous spider jumps on her from a box of delivered flowers while her hair is being styled by Willow, on another she becomes suddenly and seriously ill immediately after eating some bitter tasting soup served her by Hester, one of the aunts. She becomes convinced that somebody is trying to kill her, and as her husband refuses to live anywhere else, she bribes the maid with a gift of clothes and slips out of the house with a suitcase, intending to leave by train. She is met before boarding the train by her friend Diana, who persuades her to return home; entering her own bedroom, she finds the maid dead – stabbed in the back whilst sitting at the dressing table wearing the dress Ann had just given her. Police come to the house and quiz Ann. They doubt her belief that she was the intended victim because, despite the dress, she and the maid had different hair colours. An old rumour is mentioned that the maid, who had been adopted locally, was the child of a gardener at Crow Hollow. The police prohibit anybody – save Robert on professional calls – from leaving Crow Hollow while the murder is investigated. Ann and Robert form a theory that Willow had been wearing a hat at the dressing table, concealing the colour of her hair, confirming in their minds that Ann had been the intended victim. To reassure Ann, her friend Diana comes to stay in the house. Opal tells Robert that there is a phone call calling him out to a medical case. Ann realizes that the phone had not rung and stops him from leaving. Aunt Opal tries to serve her coffee while they discuss Ann's suspicions. Ann refuses to drink it, believing it to be poisoned. Robert is about to drink it, but changes his mind. In the subsequent argument, Opal admits that she had inadvertently killed Willow – her illegitimate daughter – meaning to kill Ann. Her plan had been that Robert would marry Willow, keeping Crow Hollow fully in the family. Robert takes Ann from the room saying that they are going to call the police. Opal picks up the cup of poisoned coffee and drinks it. Robert says to his wife outside the door "it's better this way". When things have settled down, Robert is about to apply for a post as a hospital doctor, somewhat distant from Crow Hollow, when Ann tears up the application, saying she is now happy at Crow Hollow and wishes to stay.

Cast

as Doctor Robert Amour *

as Ann Amour * Patricia Owens as Willow *

Melissa Stribling Melissa Stribling (7 November 1926 – 22 March 1992) was a Scottish film and television actress. She began her professional career in a repertory company, presenting a different play each week at the Grand Theatre, Croydon in 1948. She remains ...

as Diana Wilson *

Esma Cannon Esma Ellen Charlotte Littmann (''née'' Cannon; 27 December 1905 – 18 October 1972), credited as Esme or Esma Cannon, was an Australian-born character actress who moved to Britain in the early 1930s. Although she frequently appeared on televis ...

as Aunt Judith *

Nora Nicholson Nora Nicholson (7 December 1886 – 18 September 1973) was an English actress. Known for her portrayal of character roles, she achieved her greatest success in the later years of her career. She played in classics by Shakespeare and Chekhov and ...

as Aunt Opal * Susan Richmond as Aunt Hester * Meadows White as Dexter * Penelope Munday as Cass * Denis Webb as Detective Inspector York *

Ewen Solon Peter Ewen Solon (7 September 1917 – 7 July 1985) was a New Zealand-born actor, who worked extensively in both the United Kingdom and Australia. At the outbreak of World War II, Solon became a member of the First Echelon, 2nd NZEF that saw ser ...

as Sergeant Jenkins * Georgie Henschel as Nurse Baxter * Gordon Bell as Alec * Janet Barrow as Mrs Wilson * Norman Claridge as hospital doctor * Doris Yorke as hospital nurse

Production

The film was shot 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 ...

. There was also a scene shot at Gomshall and Shere railway station.

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: "The story is treated more as if it were a stage play than a film. There is too little movement and the eeriness is overdone." ''

Picturegoer ''Picturegoer'' was a fan magazine published in the United Kingdom between 1911 and 23 April 1960. Background The magazine was started in 1911 under the name ''The Pictures'' and in 1914 it merged with ''Picturegoer''. Following the merge it was ...

'' wrote: "This effort suffers from all the faults usually associated with British modest-budget, double-bill stuff – loose writing, direction without grip, poor lighting and amateurish appearance. Its chief interest lies in Natasha Parry's competent performance as the frightened wife. Donald Houston is colourless as her doctor husband, and the three supposedly forbidding aunts are put over only half-heartedly." '' Picture Show'' wrote: "Well-directed and acted murder drama ... Natasha Parry gives a good performance." In ''British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959'' David Quinlan rated the film as "poor", writing: "Gloomy yarn, poorly made, performed without conviction. Best thing's the title."

References

External links

*
''Crow Hollow''
at

BFI The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, d ...

{{Michael McCarthy 1952 films 1950s mystery films 1950s English-language films Films directed by Michael McCarthy British black-and-white films Films set in country houses Films based on New Zealand novels Films about marriage Films about murder Merton Park Studios films Films about filicide English-language mystery films