The Ace of Spades

The wife of a candidate for Parliament is having an affair with the brother of her husband's rival. Her lover is running for election on a promise of building a railway that the community needs, but a wealthy landowner won't give permission for the railway to be built over his land. When the landowner is later found dead, suspicion falls on the adulterous candidate.

An almost theatrical presentation of an intrigue of adultery, blackmail and murder. A prospective MP (Michael Hogan) promises his electorate a new railway line without banking on the refusal the local landowner (Felix Aylmer) to make the land available. When he is promptly found dead, accusations and suspicions abound (though by this stage the audience knows how he died!). It's quite a fun little story poking fun at the "kissing baby" campaigning style of parliamentarians. No, the script isn't wonderful, but it's an engaging hour from George Pearson and a workmanlike cast.