Out of the Shadow (1961)

That was an excellent one.

People are voting emotionally.

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

In a University town that is famed for it's genteel manners, somehow Michael Winner believes that the hero, Mark Kingston, can get to the bottom of what he believes is the murder of his brother. There is precious little, "please, thank you or sorry" from him and his whole manner consists of being at best, abrasive to all and sundry.I do realise it's only a film, but credibility hits a low when the police appear to believe that two drownings in the local river are not suspicious. The area of Cambridge where the River Cam passes the Colleges is know as "The Backs". The Cam is about four foot deep there, hence the use of flat bottom boats driven by poles (Punts).As with so many "B" pictures of this era, there is the customary American Actor who despite his obscurity in the film world even among Americans, is there in the hope of creating some interest in the film stateside. In this particular case, his character is that of a USAF Sergeant, who is equally rude and abrasive to complete strangers. At one stage, Kingston offers him a lift back to his airbase, to which he responds that it's not necessary because it's within walking distance. The nearest airbase is Duxford, which is about 9 miles from Cambridge, and the USAF pulled out of there in 1945.If you have a reasonable knowledge of Cambridge, you are more likely to treat this film as a comedy rather than a thriller.

The very annoying music all the way through just wasn't needed, maybe it was this that put me off or maybe it was the acting or maybe it was with watching the superb 'Scotland Yard' series that's being run at the moment on the equally superb Talking pictures tv, could be.

Michael Winner had a long and illustrious career as a notorious director of exploitation and bad taste movies until his death in 2013. He started out on his career back in the early 1960s with a series of documentary shorts and low budget black-and-white potboilers, and OUT OF THE SHADOW is one such production.The movie was shot in and around Cambridge with the university playing a large role in the proceedings, hence the alternate title MURDER ON THE CAMPUS. CARRY ON REGARDLESS actor Terence Longdon is the erstwhile hero, investigating the death of his brother who was thrown out of a college window. Before long he encounters a conspiracy of silence and soon attracts the attention of a murderer keen to cover up his crime.OUT OF THE SHADOW is certainly adequate as a B-movie thriller and no better or worse than the type of product being put out by Francis Searle and Butcher's Film Studios during the same era. Longdon is a likable lead and the supporting cast give some good performances, particularly Diane Clare (PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES). It's not the kind of film that will blow your mind but it trundles along merrily enough and Winner shows some talent at even this early stage of his career.

"Murder on the Campus" was Michael Winner's second film. It was actually made in England in 1957 under the title "The Clock Strikes Eight". It is a very routine muder mystery with little to recommend it. It is what was known as a "Quota Quickie", a second feature, made on the cheap to enable British theatre owners to fulfill their quota - a legal requirement that a set percentage of all footage shown in British movie theatres had to be British in origin.