Burnt Evidence (1954)

Sadly Over-hyped

Expected more

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

***SPOILERS*** Little British mystery in not only who killed who but who of the two involved was the one who was killed. It's the down on his luck and the balls of his a** interior designer Jack Taylor, Duncan Lamont,who ends up both with the sh*t end of the stick as well as dead when he has it out at his workshop with his best friend Jimmy Thompson,Donald Gray, accusing Jimmy of having an affair with his wife Diana ,Jane Hylton, then getting himself shot with his own gun. The fact that Jimmy was only trying to help Jack out of his financial troubles came out later that made it all that much worse.It was during the fight that the place caught fire from a lighted cigarette that made the task of identifying the body or what was thought to be Taylor's almost impossible. That's until a tooth was found that in fact revealed who the dead man really was. It's Diana who's given the 3rd degree by Police Inspector Bob Edwards,Meredith Edwards,in where her husbands killer Jimmy Thompson is whom he feels she's covering up for.This goes on and out until the truth or tooth pops up out of the rubble revealing just who the victim of all this confusion really is!****SPOILERS**** Not much to see here in who the one who was found burnt to a crisp is but the reasons for all this to happen. It was "Sad Sack" Taylor a failure in everything that he did in life who in fact failed in his final attempt to end it all in his fatal fight with Jimmy Thompson who tried to help him out of his troubles. It was poor and confused Diana who ended up facing jail time in attempting to help her by them mentally deranged husband Jack's murder victim Jimmy Thompson escape justice. It was only by Jack coming back from the dead and telling the truth to what really happened that saved both her and well as Jack from both ending up in the cooler.

One of the stodgier of the British crime films of the 1950s that I've watched. The story in this low budget tale is a love triangle between a glamorous housewife, her hard-working, self-employed, and down on his luck husband, and her suave lover. The backdrop of industry hangs over the proceedings, but when a quarrel leads to a violent argument and death, BURNT EVIDENCE turns into a police procedural drama.Sadly it's a slow moving affair rather lacking in intrigue or indeed interest. The nature of the plot means that the principal characters have to disappear from the screen about a third of the way in at which point it all becomes rather aimless and unfocused, only to clear things up for the lacklustre ending. Jane Hylton is an arresting presence but would be better suited as a gangster's moll than the housewife she portrays here, although Duncan Lamont successfully portrays his character's world weariness. Watch out for old-timer Kynaston Reeves as a pathologist, Irene Handl in an improbable wig, and co-star Donald Gray's false left arm.

This bottom of the bill British thriller was recently given an airing on satellite TV.Duncan Lamont plays an electrician whose business is failing.His wife,Jane Hylton,is getting rather too close to his friend played by Donald Gray.She goes to try and persuade Gray to lend her £300 that Lamont needs for materials for a big contract.Lamont catches them together and jumps to the wrong conclusion.Eventually there is a confrontation between Lamont and Gray at Lamonts shed and a gum goes off and a fire ensues.We don't know who has been burnt to death but we have a shrewd guess.Enter the police in the guise of Meredith Edwards and Cyril Smith.It appears that most of the time they spend smoking ,pipes in particular and drinking endless cups of tea.What then follows is an investigation totally devoid of mystery ,suspense,action and thrills.It is poorly plotted and totally lacks any element of entertainment.The only bright spot is the appearance of Irene Handel.In an early scene she is shown wearing a long wig with a fringe.She is then given a perm by Jane Hylton and emerges with short hair and a perm.This is probably the most entertaining scene in the film.Also it is worth mentioning that Donald Gray lost an arm in the war.So you will see that most of his scenes are shot with his right arm facing the camera.In a couple of scenes you do see his left arm with a prosthetic left hand.It makes you feel that if this is what film makers believed cinema goers wanted little wonder that they were deserting the cinemas in droves for TV.

One of a few films made by ACT in the early 1950s to give employment to British actors and technicians. Its slow and a bit tedious, playing out like an early TV play, possibly not surprising in that Ted Willis(Dixon Of Dock Green,etc.,) is credited with the screenplay. Ted Willis would go on to greater things and so would the Peter Hunt credited as assistant editor,assuming its the Peter Hunt who went on to direct On Her Majesties Secret Service. The cast, including the usual range of good British players, handle the talkative script as best they can, but there is an underlying feeling of doom about the whole thing. I still found it interesting...not especially entertaining, but worth a look if you're interested in the lower reaches of British 50s cinema .