Tod Slaughter

Sophie Stewart

D.J. Williams

Eric Portman

Clare Greet

Gerard Tyrell

Ann Trevor

Stella Rho

Dennis Hoey

Quinton McPherson

Antonia Brough

Noel Dainton

J. Leslie Frith

Herbert Leonard

Lester Sharpe

Tom Payne

Gerrard Tyrell

Milton Rosmer

Leo T. Croke

John K. Byers

George King

George Stretton

Simmons

D.W. Daniels

Pat Walker

Charles Saunders

Crime

Drama

Horror

Maria Marten, or The Murder in the Red Barn

George King Productions

United Kingdom

CinemaSerf

Based on real events, this isn't really one of Tod Slaughter's more memorable efforts. He is the dastardly squire "Corder" who loses the enormous sum of £6,000 in a game of dice, back in England at the start of the 19th century. So as to avoid bankruptcy, he sets his sights on the rather plain daughter of a nearby wealthy family. Meantime, however, he also has designs on a young girl from the village to whom he promises marriage. When she becomes pregnant, local lad "Carlos" (Eric Portman) is blamed - but he isn't just going to sit there and take the blame, especially now the girl has disappeared, presumed dead! The star is certainly very adept at playing the cad, but Portman reminded me too much of a half-hearted Basil Rathbone and the innocent, ill-fated "Maria" (Sophia Stewart) came across more as a silent movie star, with only limited success delivering her dialogue. It does pack quite a bit of story into seventy minutes but it's all just bit too "Jamaica Inn"-lite for me.

English