Jean Kent

Dirk Bogarde

John McCallum

Susan Shaw

Hermione Baddeley

Charles Victor

Duncan Macrae

Lana Morris

Joe Linnane

Vida Hope

John Boxer

Albert Chevalier

Julian D'Albie

Anthony Dawson

Richard Dunn

Ian Fleming

Nora Gordon

Helen Goss

Everley Gregg

Duncan Lamont

Tom Macaulay

John Martin

Josephine Middleton

Richard Pearson

Robert Scroggins

Merle Tottenham

Anthony Asquith

Teddy Baird

John D. Guthridge

Weston Drury Jr.

Desmond Dickinson

W.T. Partleton

Carmen Dillon

Andrew Allan

John Wooldridge

Joseph Janni

Biddy Chrystal

George Pollock

John Cresswell

Mystery

Crime

Drama

The Woman in Question

J. Arthur Rank Organisation

Javelin Films

Vic Films Productions

United Kingdom

CinemaSerf

Rhetorical question but how is it possible to murder a fortune teller? Surely she should have anticipated the crime and had the constabulary ready and waiting? Well apparently not as "Madame Astra" (Jean Kent) is found slain. It falls to policeman "Lodge" (Duncan Macrae) to try and piece together just what might have happened to her. Now it was a fairly tight knit community and this woman wasn't universally liked. She didn't exactly get on with her sister, nor with her intended (Dirk Bogarde) of whom it has to be said is probably a bit of a rake. Meantime, she seems to have taken advantage of local shopkeeper "Pollard" (Charles Victor) as well as seafaring man "Michael" (John McCallum) and all under the nosey gaze of her housekeeper "Mrs. Finch" (Hermione Baddeley). Many of their alibis overlap and it's interesting for the copper to learn a few different permutations of the lead up to events and the one thing that is certain: she was a bit of a manipulatrix who was perfectly prepared to use her wiles to her own advantage. It's nice to see Macrae given a part a little more substantial than his usual professional Scotsman and I did quite enjoy the efforts from Baddeley and the multi-faceted Kent as the mystery gradually comes together. It's one of those whodunits where you feel half way through that the killer probably merited a medal rather than the noose, but that's always assuming they get caught!

English