Paul Temple Returns – 1952 | 71 mins | Crime | B&W

Plot Synopsis

Middling second-feature murder mystery based on Francis Durbridge’s amateur sleuth and the BBC radio serial, in this instalment Paul Temple endeavours to round up a triple murderer. The film is the standard detective whodunit but b-movie director Maclean Rogers keeps the story moving at a brisk pace and makes good use of exterior locations. This marked the last of the “Paul Temple” films.

Scotland Yard are baffled by a series of seemingly unrelated murders carried out by an unknown individual called ‘The Marquis’. Novelist and amateur sleuth Paul Temple (John Bentley) and wife Steve (Patricia Dainton) are in New York promoting Paul’s novel’s when they receive two telegrams; one from Sir Graham requesting assistance and a second from the shadowy Marquis warning Temple not to get involved. Paul immediately flies back to London.

The only clue to the case is a telegram with ‘Bombay SW’ written on it, which Paul deduces could be Bombay Wharf at London docks. Circumstantial evidence points to explorer Sir Felix Raybourne (Christopher Lee) who has reportedly made an exciting discovery in the Sinai desert, but the intrepid explorer claims he is being implicated by enemies. Raybourne’s innocence is proven when he is discovered dead in a French room on the very day a shipment of his Sinai discovers are due to arrive at the Bombay wharf. Temple, Steve and Sir Graham stakeout the dock warehouse as they expect The Marquis to put in an appearance.