THE CASE OF THE FRIGHTENED LADY (1940)

Dudley-Ward, Haye, Goring, Barr

THE CASE OF THE FRIGHTENED LADY (aka The Frightened Lady/1940). Director: George King. Colorized. 

In this British version of an Edgar Wallace story, Inspector Tanner (George Merritt) investigates when the chauffeur, Studd (John Warwick), of the redoubtable Lady Lebanon (Helen Haye) is found strangled on the grounds. Suspects include the shady Dr. Amersham (Felix Aylmer of The Chalk Garden), who knew Studd in India; Architect Ferraby (Patrick Barr), who has taken a shine to Lady Lebanon's secretary, Isla (Penelope Dudley-Ward); the grounds man Tilling (an unrecognizable Torin Thatcher); and Lady Lebanon's son Willie (Marius Goring of The Barefoot Contessa), whom she wants Isla to marry. Then there's another murder ... 

Haye and Dudley-Ward

The Case of the Frightened Lady was filmed many times both theatrically and for television. West Germany came out with a version called The Indian Scarf in the sixties, which made quite a few changes to the story. The performances in this version, especially from Haye and Goring, are quite good, and there's a degree of suspense as well. The screenplay has a subtext of keeping up appearances -- and bloodlines -- at all costs, no matter how reprehensible this may be. George Blake also directed Sexton Blake and the Hooded Terror.

Verdict: Edgar Wallace strikes again. ***. 

HOUSE OF WHIPCORD

HOUSE OF WHIPCORD (1974). Director: Pete Walker.

Anne-Marie (Penny Irving) falls for a guy who calls himself "Mark E. DeSade" (Robert Tayman). Unfortunately, Anne-Marie doesn't get the reference, and she goes off with him to meet his parents. Said parents turn out to be a demented former judge (Patrick Barr) and his wife (Barbara Markham), who, with the assistance of two female prison guards, capture and punish "loose" and immoral women for their alleged betterment. House of Whipcord is not the super-sadistic, gruesome field day that one might imagine  -- and some might have preferred -- but it isn't badly acted and holds the attention, although it should have been trimmed of at least twenty minutes. The older actors make more of an impression, with Sheila Keith vivid as the somewhat butch matron, Walker. Director Pete Walker, in the meantime, also directed Schizo, The Comeback (in which Keith was also quite effective), and several other horror films.

Verdict: Not terrible, just kind of ho-hum. **.