The Straw Man (1953) User Reviews

From the Doris Miles Disney Story

[boblipton · 5/10 · 18 August 2017]

A lot of mysteries have private investigators finding out the guy the cops think did the murder is innocent. In THE STRAW MAN -- based on a Doris Miles Disney story -- there's a nice entry to that trope. Philip Saville is tried for the murder of an old girl friend, and is waiting to be hanged; his life insurance company wants to save the expense of the 20,000 pounds payout, so they have Clifford Evans, one of their investigators, look into the matter.

The first third of the movie is slow and overloaded with dialogue, basically inert. At that point, the guilty parties are revealed -- and one accomplice is a suspect the mystery lover will have suspected from the beginning, but the other is not. At that point it turns into a "howcatchem" and becomes much more interesting.

Writer-Director Donald Taylor does an adequate job of translating Mrs. Disney's story to a movie, even if the performances are never more than adequate. Still, if you'd prefer to see the tale shown to you, rather than reading it, you'll find it an adequate version.

Good story, poor production

[gordonl56 · 6/10 · 24 December 2007]

A man, Philip Saville, is on death row for his ex-girlfriend's murder. The insurance company who has the MURDERER insured, is less than amused with this course of events. If he is put to death they will have to cough up the cash. They assign their top investigator, Clifford Evans, to the case. Evans is to see if maybe the man "just might be" not guilty.

Evans interviews Saville and comes away with a gut feeling that the man is not guilty. Evans decides to go over the case right from the start.

Savillie had been on his honeymoon with Lana Morris when his ex had showed up dead. The Police had sifted through the clues and ended up at Saville's door.

Saville's alibi for the date is in question, he says he was drunk and has no memory of the night. The police searched his house and interviewed his servant. The servant recalls seeing some bloodied clothes and Saville was quickly put under lock and key.

There is a quick trial and he receives the death sentence. Evans must hurry now to beat the rope.

Evans hires a local Private Investigator, Dermot Walsh, to help him with his inquires. They go over all the court records, check the murder site and interview everyone involved, including the new bride, Lana Morris.

They find nothing to help Evans with his case. He keeps looking and discovers a rat in the cheese cupboard.

It turns out that Walsh is the murderer. He and Morris had been stepping out together for some time. They had cooked up the scheme to get Saville's property and bank accounts. The insurance policy would have just been an added bonus.

Walsh realizes that Evans has tumbled to his play and decides to bump him off as well. Needless to say, Evans survives, and Walsh and Morris get what they deserve.

A neat little story by Doris Miles Disney is given a flat treatment by director Donald Taylor. The film just barely rises above Taylor's shoddy direction. Evans, Walsh and Lana Morris do their best in what could have been a cracker-jack little thriller.

The director worked mainly on documentary subjects during WW2. This might explain his work here.

Evans had roles in SUSPECTED PERSON, THE SAINT MEETS THE TIGER, I'LL GET YOU, VIOLENT PLAYGROUND and SOS PACIFIC. Walsh was in BEDELIA, THE FRIGHTENED MAN, COUNTERSPY, THE BLUE PARROT, BOND OF FEAR, THE HIDEOUT, WOMAN OF MYSTERY, SEA FURY and THE WITNESS. Lana Morris was in, THE WOMAN IN QUESTION, BLACK 13 and RADIO CAB MURDER.

The d of p was Gerald Gibbs. His films include, NO ORCHIDS FOR MISS BLANDISH, THE STEEL KEY, BLACK 13, OPERATION DIPLOMAT, THE INTIMATE STRANGER, FORTUNE IS A WOMAN, THE MAN UPSTAIRS and A PRIZE OF ARMS.

Good intentions

[searchanddestroy-1 · 26 October 2023]

Not a bad british thriller that grabs you for more than one hour but that eventually fails in the end; at least for my taste. I expected something different, because it is a B picture, so the producers and screen writers could have tried something different, not so predictable, run of the mill finale as in any A picture, big budget film with big stars. Yes, I could have expected and especially obtained something else than this second part. I don't care it is talkative, because the suspense is here but that's all. I don't know this director; there were many many unknown film makers in UK during the late fifties and early sixties.