Night of the Prowler (1962)

Very disappointing...

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

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

NIGHT OF THE PROWLER is another cheap thriller from the Butcher's studio and another effort from director Francis Searle who seemed to churn out one picture after another during the period. This one's a little rough around the edges, marred by some weak writing and even weaker performances, although at just an hour in length it's a watchable enough picture.The action is set in and around an engineering firm in which the directors are being mercilessly bumped off one by one by a mysterious hat-wearing figure. Old-time copper John Horsley suspects an ex-con with a grievance but the plot thickens when bizarre incidents begin to occur to the remaining directors. I have to say that I found this story quite predictable as I managed to work out the end about twenty minutes in, but it remains watchable in spite of this.The title is a bit of a misnomer as it makes this film sound like a proto slasher when it isn't. There isn't really much in the way of prowling around at all, certainly no more so than in other thrillers from the era. Patrick Holt is good value as the rather unlikeable lead, juggling his ex-wife and new girlfriend along with his business. There's some early car racing stuff which is quite interesting although the lack of a real budget is always apparent. Marianne Stone has her usual cameo. Anne Clune as Holt's new girlfriend threatens to derail events with an appalling performance but thankfully she doesn't have too much screen time.

Reasonable Butchers thriller.The title is misleading.There is a night and there is a prowler but not together and not at the same time. Although it has a lot of predictable moments there is nonetheless one jaw dropping moment in the bedroom of a hotel run by the ubiquitous Marriane Stone. Bodies keep dropping like flies and enough red herrings swim around to fill the North Sea. There are a lot of clichés to be found.A lot of people phone up with information only to be told they can't give it over the phone. Anyway it passes a reasonable hour or so. Not much more that you can say about it.Difficult to find ten lines to write about it.

Nothing great here but by no means is it a waste of time. A group of directors of a small auto producing company begin to turn up dead. The prime suspect is an ex-employee who had been sent up the river for stealing company funds. The man got out of prison the day of the first murder. The police are on the trail but really have no evidence it is the just released con. A couple more close calls have all the bosses on edge when the con is found in a less than alive state. If it was not this man, then who the hell is trying to kill everyone? A couple more red herrings and a twist or two are thrown at the viewer before the bad guy is grabbed up. It seems the owner was killing of the people so he could keep the profits. Nasty git!

With better direction and editing, this could have been a neat mystery-thriller. The experienced leads turn in professional performances - especially John Horsley as the detective - but the minor characters and the production values are well down to the standard of the budget."Quincy" and "Ironside" did this sort of thing much better a decade later.