billy bentley

I just saw two Thorold Dickinson's films at the Walter Reade (Film Society of Lincoln Center) NYC. "The Arsenal Stadium Mystery" & "Queen Of Spades". Leslie Banks as Inspector Slade in "Arsenal" is absolutely hilarious and well matched with whoever plays his assistant. Does anyone know if Inspector Slade was kicking around the pulps before this film was made in 1940 ? It's easy to imagine several films or television episodes of Inspector Slade. I'll post my thoughts about the superb "Queen Of Spades" later.

orpheum

The film is based on a novel by Leonard Gribble.He wrote many other novels and mysteries including The Gillespie Suicide Mystery.This too would appear to be set at Arsenal since Gillespie Road runs along the back of the South Terrace(Clock End).This is referred to as a terrace mystery.It may be that the Inspector turns up in other of his books.However this is the only book of his that was filmed according to IMB.In any event the real star of the show,at least as far as i am concerned is Arsenal Stadium.My avtar shows how it looked on 29thJuly 2006,the date of the last ever event at that marvellous ground.

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billy bentley

I can't belive that nine days ago I had never even heard of this film, it's an absolute Britich classic. The screening I attended, was introduced by Philip Horne, who did a great job of "filling in" those of us who are not familiar with Dickinson's work, evidently he will soon be publishing a book "Thorold Dickinson: A World Of Films". The direction, cast, camerawork and sets were all superb. Edith Evans gives a performance that for me competes with her one as Mrs.Ross in "The Whisperers". Unforgettable. To quote Martin Scorses from the programme "By any stadards, The Queen Of Spades" is a masterpiece."

billy bentley

Thanks a lot Orpheum. Gribble seems to have written so many books under his own and other names that it's hard to imagine he had to time to eat, drink or sleep. Evidently Slade does appear in several books including "They Kidnapped Stanley Matthews" 1950, sadly, I don't think that got made into a film.