Walk a Tightrope – 1965 | 69 mins | Crime | B&W

Plot Synopsis

Convoluted b-movie mystery that was one of two films written by Canadian Neil McCallum, produced by Jack Parsons and directed by the unexceptional the unexceptional Frank Nesbitt.

The American wife, Ellen (Patricia Owens), of British businessman Jason Sheppard (Terence Cooper) becomes convinced she is being followed and shares her fears with her husband and his friend Doug Randle (Richard Leech). The three go to the Sheppard’s riverside home, and whilst Randle is upstairs there’s a ring at the door, and stranger Carl Lutcher (Paul Duryea) enters and calmly guns down Ellen’s husband. Randle runs downstairs to see what has happened and overhears Lutcher request his payment from Ellen.

Eventually, Lutcher is arrested by police and makes a full confession, claiming that Ellen Sheppard hired him to kill her husband. However, it comes to light at the hearing that Lutcher has recently been released from an insane asylum, and after a rambling tirade he is sent for trial. Meanwhile a ghost from Ellen’s past returns, her ex-husband, and he has blackmail in mind.