TRENT'S LAST CASE (1952 A b/w)

Trent's Last Case

directed by Herbert Wilcox

a British detective film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Michael Wilding, Margaret Lockwood, Orson Welles and John McCallum. It was based on the novel Trent's Last Case by E. C. Bentley, and had been filmed previously in the UK with Clive Brook in 1920, and in a 1929 US version.

A major international financier is found dead at his Hampshire home. The Record newspaper assigns its leading investigative reporter, Phillip Trent, to the case. In spite of the police cordon, he manages to gain entry to the house by posing as a relative. While there he manages to pick up some of the background to the case from Inspector Murch, the Irish detective leading the investiation. Despite Murch's suggestion that the death is suicide, Trent quickly becomes convinced that it was in fact murder.

At the inquest, the coroner swiftly concludes that the deceased, Sigsbee Manderson, had killed himself. Trent, however, is given permission by his editor to continue to pursue the story. His attention is drawn to Manderson's widow, Margaret.

cast

Michael Wilding - Phillip Trent

Margaret Lockwood - Margaret Manderson

Orson Welles - Sigsbee Manderson

John McCallum - John Marlowe

Miles Malleson - Burton Cupples

Hugh McDermott - Calvin C. Bunner

Jack McNaughton - Mr Martin, the butler

Sam Kydd - Inspector Murch

Henry Edwards - Coroner

Geoffrey Bayldon - Reporter in court

Robert Cawdron - PC

John Chandos - Tim O'Rielly

Ben Williams, Jimmy, the reporter

Kenneth Williams - Horace Evans, the junior gardener

production

directed by Herbert Wilcox

produced by Herbert Wilcox

written by  Pamela Bower

based on the novel by E.C. Bentley

music by Anthony Collins

cinematography by  Mutz Greenbaum

Edited by Bill Lewthwaite

Distributed by Republic Pictures

release date  29th October 1952

note:   this was Kenneth Williams first screen appearance