''Sensation'' is a 1936 British

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

Brian Desmond Hurst Brian Desmond Hurst (12 February 1895 – 26 September 1986) was a Belfast-born film director. With over thirty films in his filmography, Hurst has been hailed as Northern Ireland's best film director.Screening will honour 'NI's best film ...

and starring John Lodge,

Diana Churchill Diana Spencer-Churchill (11 July 1909 – 20 October 1963) was the eldest daughter of British statesman Sir Winston Churchill and Clementine Churchill, Baroness Spencer-Churchill. Personal life Diana Churchill was born at 33 Eccleston ...

Francis Lister Francis Lister (2 April 1899 – 28 October 1951) was a British actor. He was married to the actresses Nora Swinburne (1924–32) and Margot Grahame (1934-36). Filmography References External links * * *ThFrancis Lister Collectionis held by ...

and

Felix Aylmer Sir Felix Edward Aylmer Jones, OBE (21 February 1889 – 2 September 1979) was an English stage actor who also appeared in the cinema and on television. Aylmer made appearances in films with comedians such as Will Hay and George Formby. Early ...

. The screenplay concerns a crime reporter who solves a murder case using a piece of evidence he found amongst the victim's possessions.

Cast

* John Lodge as Pat Heston *

as Masie Turnpit *

as Richard Grainger *

Joan Marion Joan Marion Nicholls (28 September 19085 November 2001), known professionally as Joan Marion, was an Australian-born stage, film and television actress. Her family moved to Britain when she was three, and at eighteen she attended the Royal Acade ...

as Mrs Grainger *

Margaret Vyner Margaret Leila Vyner, also known by her married name Margaret Williams (3 December 1914 in Armidale, New South Wales – 30 October 1993 in Reading, England) was an Australian-born model and actress who appeared in British films. She collaborated ...

as Claire Lindsay *

Jerry Verno Jerry Verno (26 July 1895 – 29 June 1975) was a British film actor. He appeared in 39 films between 1931 and 1966, including five films directed by Michael Powell, and two with Alfred Hitchcock. He was born in London. As well as appearing i ...

as Spikey * Richard Bird as Henry Belcher *

Athene Seyler Athene Seyler, CBE (31 May 188912 September 1990) was an English actress. Early life She was born in Hackney, London; her German-born grandparents moved to the United Kingdom, where her grandfather Philip Seyler was a merchant in London. Athe ...

as Madame Henry *

Dennis Wyndham Dennis Wyndham (15 January 1887 – 19 August 1973) was a South African born stage and film actor. Long based in Britain, he appeared in more than 40 films between 1920 and 1956. He was born in Natal, South Africa. On 23 May 1917, he marrie ...

as Spurge *

Henry Oscar Henry Wale (14 July 1891 – 28 December 1969), known professionally as Henry Oscar, was an English stage and film actor. He changed his name and began acting in 1911, having studied under Elsie Fogerty at the Central School of Speech and Drama ...

as Superintendent Stainer * Anthony Holles as Clarke * Martin Walker as Dimmitt *

Sybil Grove Sybil Grove was an English actress. She was born Sybil Marian Westmacott on 4 October 1891 in Teddington, Middlesex, and was also known as Sybil Wingrove. With reddish brown hair and standing 5'8", she trained at RADA and her stage debut was in ...

as Mrs Spurge *

Leslie Perrins Leslie Perrins (7 October 1901 – 13 December 1962) was an English actor who often played villains. After training at RADA, he was on stage from 1922, and in his long career, appeared in well over 60 films. Hobbies Perrins and wife Violet w ...

as Strange *

as Lord Bouverie

Reception

Writing for ''

The Spectator ''The Spectator'' is a weekly British magazine on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving weekly magazine in the world. It is owned by Frederick Barclay, who also owns ''The ...

'' in 1937,

Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...

gave the film a poor review, faulting the "bad casting, bad story construction, nduncertain editing". While praising the acting of Holles, Seyler, and Marion, Greene found that the rest of the cast handicapped the director, and that the story lost its authenticity "in false trails, in an absurd love-story, in humour based on American film, and in the complete unreality of the 'murder gang'." (reprinted in: )

References

External links

www.briandesmondhurst.org- Official legacy website of the director with filmography including ''Sensation''
* 1936 films 1936 crime films British crime films Films shot at British International Pictures Studios Films directed by Brian Desmond Hurst Films set in London Films about journalists British black-and-white films 1930s English-language films 1930s British films {{1930s-crime-film-stub