''The Delavine Affair'' is a 1955 British second feature

crime film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...

directed by Douglas Peirce and starring Peter Reynolds, Honor Blackman and Gordon Jackson. It was based on the 1952 novel ''Winter Wears a Shroud'' by Robert Chapman.

Plot

Journalist Rex Banner, with the aid of his wife Maxine, attempts to solve a jewel robbery, but the criminals try to frame Rex for their murder of a witness.

Cast

* Peter Reynolds as Rex Banner * Honor Blackman as Maxine Banner * Gordon Jackson as Florian * Valerie Vernon as Lola * Michael Balfour as Sammy * Peter Neil as Inspector Johnson *

Peter Swanwick Walter Peter Swanwick (29 September 1922 – 14 November 1968) was a British actor best remembered as the "Supervisor" (sometimes called the Controller) in the 1967 TV series, ''The Prisoner''. Swanwick's film career began with bit parts in f ...

as Meyerling * Laurie Main as Summit * Katie Johnson as Mrs. Bissett * Mark Daly as Mr. Bissett * Anna Turner as Mrs Halloran * Mai Bacon as Fanny *

Hal Osmond Hal Osmond (27 May 1903 – December 1959) was a British stage, film and television actor. He played Anselm in ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' episode "Errand of Mercy" (1956). Selected filmography * '' Once Upon a Dream'' (1949) * ''Vote for H ...

as old man * Vernon Kelso as Macgregor * Christie Humphrey as maid

Production

The film was produced at Walton Studios and on location in West London, including

Kensington Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the West End of London, West of Central London. The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up b ...

and West Brompton. Sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

John Stoll.

Critical reception

'' Monthly Film Bulletin'' said "A murder comedy-melodrama on familiar lines. The story is seldom very plausible, coincidence reaches out with a long arm, and the developments and the solution have their vague aspects. The film, though, is reasonably bright in tone, and the playing of the principals to some extent makes up in enthusiasm for what it lacks in polish." In ''British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959'' David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Witty comedy-thriller with over-familiar plot but polished performances." '' TV Guide'' gave the film two out of five stars, noting a "Routine crime drama."

References

External links

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''The Delavine Affair''
a
ReelStreets
1955 films 1955 crime films British crime films Films based on books Films shot at Nettlefold Studios Films shot in London Films set in London 1950s English-language films 1950s British films British black-and-white films {{1950s-crime-film-stub