The Night of the Party

A major newspaper publisher dies in suspicious circumstances during a parlour game at a dinner party. The publishers secretary is the obvious suspect, but the inspector isn't so sure ...

Michael Powell and Roland Pertwee pack quite a lot into this quirky and short whodunit. A wealthy publisher dies in curious circumstances, and it falls to "Insp. Ramage" (John Turnbull) to try to get to the bottom of this parlour game mishap - and suffice to say, he has no shortage of suspects. After a seemingly never-ending series of convoluted intricacies, it culminates in a court-room drama at which point it, after maybe 45 minutes, is enlivened hugely by a sagely effort from Louis Goodrich (the judge) and a scene stealing, ultra-hammy, closing performance from the always reliable Ernest Thesiger. It can't have had much of a budget, nor much filming time but with Ian Hunter and Leslie Banks helping this tale of murder, duplicity and infidelity along, it is worth a watch.