''Little Red Monkey'', released in the United States as ''Case of the Red Monkey'', is a 1955 British crime film directed by

Ken Hughes Ken or KEN may refer to: Entertainment * ''Ken'' (album), a 2017 album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer. * ''Ken'' (film), 1964 Japanese film. * ''Ken'' (magazine), a large-format political magazine. * Ken Masters, a main character in ...

and starring

Richard Conte Nicholas Peter Conte (March 24, 1910 – April 15, 1975), known professionally as Richard Conte, was an American actor. He appeared in more than 100 films from the 1940s through 1970s, including '' I'll Cry Tomorrow'', ''Ocean's 11'', and ''Th ...

Rona Anderson Rona Anderson (3 August 1926 – 23 July 2013) was a Scottish stage, film, and television actress. She appeared in TV series and on the stage and films throughout the 1950s. She appeared in the films '' Scrooge'' and '' The Prime of Miss Jean Br ...

and

Russell Napier Russell Gordon Napier (28 November 1910 – 19 August 1974) was an Australian actor. Biography Russell Napier was born in Perth, Western Australia. Originally a lawyer, Napier was active as an actor on the stage as early as 1936; on the scree ...

. Detectives from Scotland Yard investigate a series of murders of leading nuclear scientists, and are intrigued by strange reports received about the crimes. The film was based on a BBC Television series of the same name, written by Eric Maschwitz and produced by Bill Lyon-Shaw, which ran for six 30-minute episodes in 1953. The film was made by

Anglo-Amalgamated Anglo-Amalgamated Productions was a British film production company, run by Nat Cohen and Stuart Levy, which operated from 1945 until roughly 1971 (after which it was absorbed into EMI Films). Low-budget and second features, often produced at M ...

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. The film was an international hit, and along with ''

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'' proved a breakthrough for Anglo-Amalgamated. After its success the company began making more expensive productions, often hiring American stars for international appeal.

Cast

- Bill Locklin *

- Julia Jackson *

- Superintendent John Harrington * Sylva Langova - Hilde Heller, chief spy *

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- Harry Martin, reporter *

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- Editor Harris * John King-Kelly - Spy Henchman *

Bernard Rebel Bernard Rebel (6 October 1901, Poland – 30 September 1964, London, England) was a Polish-born British actor. His work included the role of Wormtongue in the 1955-56 BBC radio version of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Selected filmography * ' ...

- Vinson - Spy Henchman *

Arnold Marlé Arnold Marlé (15 September 1887 – 21 February 1970) was a German actor who appeared largely in British films and television programmes. Stage work His theatre work included appearances on the London stage, and a year-and-a-half-long run on B ...

- Professor Leon Dushenko * John Horsley - Detective Sergeant Gibson *

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- Superintendent McCollum * Theodore Wilhelm - Secretary of the International Social Club *

Colin Tapley Colin Edward Livingstone Tapley (7 May 1909 – 1 December 1995) was a New Zealand actor in both American and British films. Born in New Zealand, he served in the Royal Air Force and an expedition to Antarctica before winning a Paramount Pictur ...

- Sir Clive Raglan *

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- Detective Sergeant Hawkins * Jessica Kearns - Airport Hostess * Geoffrey Denys - Doctor Mayhew *

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- Inspector May *

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- Social Club Recreation Director * Peter Godsell - Tommy McCollum *

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- American Sailor *

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- American Sailor *

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- East German Chief of Border Guards (uncredited) * Tony Sympson - Cab Driver (uncredited)

Production

The film was based on a 1953 British television series starring

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and

Honor Blackman Honor Blackman (22 August 1925 – 5 April 2020) was an English actress, known for the roles of Cathy Gale in '' The Avengers''Aaker, Everett (2006). ''Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 58. (1962 ...

.The show's theme tune was a hit. Film rights were acquired by

Todon Productions Tony Owen (May 2, 1907 – May 12, 1984) was an American agent and producer, who was married to Donna Reed. Biography Owen was born in Chicago and worked in that city as a journalist. In the late 1930s he produced game programs for the Detroit Li ...

who had produced ''

Duel in the Jungle ''Duel in the Jungle'' is a 1954 British adventure film combining the detective film with the jungle adventure genres directed by George Marshall and starring Dana Andrews, Jeanne Crain and David Farrar. It was shot at the Elstree Studios near ...

'' not long before. Tony Owens, who ran Todon, signed Richard Conte to play the lead; Conte had recently performed in the film '' Mask of Dust'' (also known as ''Race for Life'') in England. Principal photography began on 24 May 1954 at Elstree Studios. The film was a co production with Anglo Guild.

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin ''The Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 to April 1991, when it merged with ''Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those with a ...

'' said it had "meagre excitements".LITTLE RED MONKEY Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 22, Iss. 252, (Jan 1, 1955): 40.

References

Bibliography

* Chibnall, Steve & McFarlane, Brian. ''The British 'B' Film''. Palgrave MacMillan, 2009.

External links

* *
Review of film
at Variety
Little Red Monkey
at Letterbox DVD
Little Red Monkey
at BFI 1955 films 1950s spy films British spy films Cold War spy films Films directed by Ken Hughes Films set in London Films based on television plays 1950s English-language films 1950s British films British black-and-white films {{1950s-UK-film-stub