The Limping Man (1953)

i must have seen a different film!!

Great Film overall

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Lloyd Bridges stars in this British film. The film begins with him arriving in London to see his sweetheart who he hasn't seen since the war ended six years ago. On the tarmac, a shot rings out and the man next to Bridges is killed by a sniper! The rest of the film is a mystery—with lots of twists and turns. It's all reasonably good---even though several times, Bridges tries to work out the case himself instead of just letting the police do their job (a film cliché). But then…the ending. How can a mystery end so badly?! I could easily say a lot more—but don't want to in case you see it. However, before the twist ending, I would have given the film a 6 or possibly a 7—but it was SO bad, I think a 4 is perhaps a bit generous. Well acted but seriously undone by bad writing.By the way, if you do watch it, get a load of the weird night club acts. The singing magic act and the odd xylophone routine certainly seemed odd!

Though I rated it a 6 I watch it more than some of my other favorite choices. When the plot goes to the music hall theater the song that Helene Cordet ,the magician's assistant, sings while doing the act just knocks me out. Her french accent and slight lisp somehow combine with the music arrangement to just make the movie better for me. Maybe it injects a bit of light humor in a suspense drama. In fact I enjoyed the next musical act about dancing on a big piano keyboard MORE THAN 3 DECADES Before THE MOVIE 'big". But then I always pay attention to musical interludes in movies even though they are suppose to be incidental. I agree with other reviewers about the early cameo bits by Jean Marsh, Rachel Roberts and the Lockeed Constellation. But I frequently find myself putting the movie and going to scene 5 just to hear her sing 'Hey Presto' again. In fact similar music interludes from B movies like MAN FROM CAIRO, CARRY ON SPYING,THE RAWHIDE YEARS,GIRLS AT SEA, make me wish that the soundtracks for audio use were available.

An enjoyable piece of film. Considering where the anticipated ending was going, the twist ending was a nice piece of work. Much of the mystery is left open for discussion. Why was the kindly stage door manager the killer? Was the Ex-husband disguising himself as the stage door manager all along and if so why didn't the ex-wife see through the disguise at the pub? Are rifles disguised as walking sticks common? Maybe the stage door manager was a professional hit man and it was pure coincidence that the victim knew the ex-husband? Perhaps there were two limping men, the stage door manager and the professional hit man. So the story has some holes in it, it was fun to watch and make fun of while watching.

People had told me about the ending of "The Limping Man" - my response was how bad could it be - the answer - extremely bad!!!! It would have been so much easier to end the film on a more conventional note - but no, someone with a vivid imagination thought - I will make this really memorable - it was memorable but for all the wrong reasons!!!Frank Prior (Lloyd Bridges) is flying back to England to see whether the girl he met during the war still loves him as much as he does her. Crossing the tarmac, one of the passengers is killed by an unknown sniper, just after Prior asks him for a light. After being cleared to go by the police, Frank, tries to contact his friend, Pauline, whose photo just happens to be in the dead man's (Kendall Brown) pocket. When he catches up with Pauline (Moira Lister) she is quite nervous. The police also want to talk to Helen Castle (Helene Cordet), who has a novelty magic act "Hey Presto". She was Kendall's wife but they have been separated for 3 years - or so she says!!!Meanwhile Frank and Pauline spend a leisurely day on the river but when the boat runs out of petrol the man who comes to their assistance seems to know her, as does a stranger from the pub. (Rachel Roberts has a few moments as a chatty barmaid). Then Frank sees the limping man!!!! He finds he is deep in a plot that involves smuggling and incriminating love letters. There is a very funny scene where Frank and Pauline climb into a room (to evade the police) where two children are watching TV - the children get upset because they think the strangers will tell their parents about their nocturnal TV viewing. When they go downstairs the parents are having a party and just assume Frank and Pauline guests!!This was typical of the style of thrillers that John Mills had made ("The Long Memory" etc). I agree Moira Lister was very lack lustre and seemed quite unexciting in her role, certainly not interesting enough to be the dare devil she portrayed. More interesting was Jean Marsh, who became famous playing Rose in the prestigious TV series "Upstairs, Downstairs" - she made her debut in this film playing the land lady's teenage daughter. Lloyd Bridges had several leading roles before his phenomenally successful role as Mike Nelson in the TV series "Sea Hunt".