Double Confession – 1950 | 80 mins | Thriller | B&W

Plot Synopsis

Muddled noiradapted from John Garden’s 1949 novel "All On a Summer’s Day". KenAnnakin’s direction is suitably atmospheric and grimy, but the central story islacking in depth and loses its suspenseful coherence when padded out by distractingsubplots involving Joan Hopkins’ single mother and holidaymakers KathleenHarrison and Leslie Dwyer. Peter Lorre is recruited to enhance the filmsoverseas appeal, and he brings a suggestion of real menace and homoeroticism tohis role as henchman

Jim Medway (DerekFarr) arrives in the seaside town of Seagate late one evening and headsstraight to his estranged wife’s remote coastal cottage where he witnesses hermurder. Medway discovers his wife taken had taken a lover in the shape of hisformer friend, crook turned businessman Charlie Durham (William Hartnell), and nowJim intends to blackmail the rich entrepreneur or frame him for murder.

When nottormenting Durham, Medway spends his time on the coast getting acquainted with singlemother Ann Corday, who has arrived on a daytrip to decide whether or not togive her daughter up for adoption. Durham’s devoted homicidal cohort, Paynter(Peter Lorre), decides to protect his boss by arranging various unsuccessfulattempts for Medway to meet with an accident. Meanwhile, Inspector Tenby isgradually gathering clues that will clear up the mystery.