The Frightened Lady (1932 film)
The Frightened Lady is a 1932 British thriller film directed by T. Hayes Hunter and starring Emlyn Williams, Cathleen Nesbitt, Norman McKinnel and Belle Chrystall.[1] It was adapted by Bryan Edgar Wallace from his father Edgar Wallace's 1931 play The Case of the Frightened Lady, which was adapted again later for a 1940 film.
| The Frightened Lady | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) Hunter directing Nesbitt | |
| Directed by | T. Hayes Hunter |
| Produced by | Michael Balcon |
| Written by | Angus MacPhail Bryan Edgar Wallace Edgar Wallace (play) |
| Starring | Emlyn Williams Cathleen Nesbitt Gordon Harker Belle Chrystall |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | British Lion Film Corporation |
Release date | March 1932 (London) (UK) |
Running time | 87 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The film is also known as Criminal at Large in the United States.
Plot
A young woman goes to stay at the house of Lord Lebanon, but two murders in quick succession lead to the arrival of detectives and cause the woman to fear for her life.[2]
Cast
- Emlyn Williams – Lord Lebanon
- Cathleen Nesbitt – Lady Lebanon
- Norman McKinnel – Chief Inspector Tanner
- Gordon Harker – Sergeant Totty
- Belle Chrystall – Aisla Crane
- Cyril Raymond – Sergeant Ferraby
- Finlay Currie – Brooks
- Percy Parsons – Gilder
- Julian Royce – Kelver
Reception
Emlyn William's performance was voted best in a British film for 1932.[3]
The New York Times found it "considerably more diverting on the stage than it is on the screen...It is a rugged shocker, and when it was not stripped of some of its good scenes it kept the spectator guessing...It is, however, a talented performance that Mr. Williams gives. Cathleen Nesbit does very well as the somewhat sinister dowager Lady Lebanon and Norman McKinnel, although handicapped by the direction, lends a certain distinction to the rôle of Tanner." [4]
References
- "The Frightened Lady". BFI. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012.
- "The Frightened Lady". britmovie.co.uk.
- ""SUNSHINE SUSIE"". The Daily News (HOME ed.). Perth. 19 August 1933. p. 19. Retrieved 4 March 2013 – via National Library of Australia.
- Mordaunt Hall (20 December 1933). "Criminal at Large – A British Pictorial Version of the Late Edgar Wallace's Play "Criminal at Large."". The New York Times.