Someone at the Door (1936 film)

Someone at the Door
Someone at the Door
	DVD cover
Directed by	Herbert Brenon
Written by	Campbell Christie; Marjorie Deans ; Jack Davis
Based on	the play Someone at the Door by Campbell Christie & Dorothy Christie
Produced by	Walter C. Mycroft
Starring	Aileen Marson; Billy Milton; Noah Beery; Edward Chapman
Cinematography	Bryan Langley
Edited by	David Cousland
Production; company	British International Pictures
Distributed by	Wardour Films (UK)
Release date	4 May 1936 (UK);
Running time	73 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Someone at the Door is a 1936 British drama film directed by Herbert Brenon and starring Aileen Marson, Billy Milton, Noah Beery, John Irwin and Edward Chapman.^[3] A journalist comes up with a scheme to boost his career by inventing a fake murder but soon becomes embroiled in trouble when a real killing takes place.^[4] It is based on a successful West End play by Campbell Christie and his wife Dorothy Christie.^[5]

Plot

When penniless Sally (Aileen Marson) inherits a decrepit country manor, formerly her childhood home, she moves in with her younger brother Ronald (Billy Milton). An ambitious young journalist, Ronald comes up with an outlandish scheme to get his first big story. He plans to hide Sally in the house, to fake her death, and then get himself arrested for her murder. When Sally suddenly reappears at his trial, it will prove his innocence, and leave Ronald to supply his paper with an exclusive story. However, the siblings uncover a real mystery when they become mixed up with jewel thieves, whose loot is hidden in their house.

Cast

Billy Milton as Ronald Martin
Aileen Marson as Sally Martin
Noah Beery as Harry Kapel
Edward Chapman as Price
John Irwin as Bill Reid
Hermione Gingold as Mrs Appleby
Charles Mortimer as Sgt Spedding
Edward Dignon as Soames
Lawrence Hanray as Poole
Jimmy Godden as PC O'Brien

Critical reception

The Radio Times preferred the film's 1950 remake, "although, in this case, that's not saying much, as the 1950 version of Campbell and Dorothy Christie's old theatrical chestnut wasn't very good either. Contrived only goes part way to describing this creaky thriller";^[6] while Infernal Cinema described the film as "a little like a game of Cluedo come to life," and appreciated, "A short yet entertaining thriller from the thirties," concluding, "Brenon is sometimes under appreciated in the history of cinema, Someone at the Door is a brisk reminder of his talent."^[7]