''The Crimes of Stephen Hawke'' is a 1936 British

historical History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...

melodrama film directed by

George King George King may refer to: Politics * George King (Australian politician) (1814–1894), New South Wales and Queensland politician * George King, 3rd Earl of Kingston (1771–1839), Irish nobleman and MP for County Roscommon * George Clift King (184 ...

and starring

Tod Slaughter Norman Carter Slaughter (19 March 1885 – 19 February 1956), also known as Tod Slaughter, was an English actor, best known for playing over-the-top maniacs in macabre film adaptations of Victorian melodramas. Early life Slaughter was born ...

as the nefarious Stephen Hawke - who masquerades as the 'Spine-Breaker'. It also features

Marjorie Taylor Marjorie Taylor (1912–1974) was a British stage and film actress.Goble p.491 She played the female lead in several Tod Slaughter films during the 1930s. Filmography * ''The Heirloom Mystery'' (1936) * ''The Crimes of Stephen Hawke'' (1936) * ...

, D. J. Williams and

Eric Portman Eric Harold Portman (13 July 1901 – 7 December 1969) was an English stage and film actor. He is probably best remembered for his roles in several films for Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger during the 1940s. Early life Born in Halifax, ...

. It was made at

Shepperton Studios Shepperton Studios is a film studio located in Shepperton, Surrey, England, with a history dating back to 1931. It is now part of the Pinewood Studios Group. During its early existence, the studio was branded as Sound City (not to be confused ...

, with sets designed by

Philip Bawcombe Philip William Bawcombe, FRSA born in London in 1906 and died in 2000, was an industrial designer, inter alia for film studios, and official South African war artist during World War II, who also produced acclaimed collections of paintings illustrat ...

. This is the third of Tod Slaughter's film outings, billed as a 'new-old melodrama'. In the introduction Slaughter appears in person, in a BBC studio, where he describes with relish his murderous activities in his two previous films: ''

Maria Marten or Murder in the Red Barn ''Maria Marten, or The Murder in the Red Barn'' is a 1935 British film melodrama film starring Tod Slaughter and Eric Portman. It was directed by Milton Rosmer. It is based on the true story of the 1827 Red Barn Murder where a 25 year old mothe ...

'' (1935) and '' ''Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'''' (1936). In the film Slaughter plays a seemingly kindly money-lender who dotes on his daughter Julia. He has however a double life as the notorious 'Spine-Breaker', Victorian England's most maniacal serial killer. His nefarious activities are eventually detected by his daughter's suitor Matthew Trimble, the son of one of his victims, who after pursuing and failing to catch him somewhat charitably opines to his daughter: :'Julia, Julia, my darling, listen to me. I know that he's the notorious 'Spine-Breaker' and he ought to be dead a hundred times but I also know that his death cannot bring my father back to life. But alive or dead it cannot alter my love for you.' In the end Slaughter comes out of hiding to kill another unwelcome suitor of his daughter, before falling to his death from the roof of his house in a dramatic final exit.

Cast

as Stephen Hawke *

as Julia Hawke * D.J. Williams as Joshua Trimble *

as Matthew Trimble * Graham Soutten as Nathaniel * Gerald Barry as Miles Archer * George M. Slater as Lord Brickhaven * Charles Penrose as Sir Franklin *

Norman Pierce Norman Pierce (5 September 1900 – 22 March 1968) was a British actor. He was born in Southport, Lancashire. He died in Helions Bumpstead, Essex, England on 22 March 1968 at the age of 67. He played pub landlords and barmen in a number of ...

as Landlord * Flotsam and Jetsam ( Bentley Collingwood Hilliam and

Malcolm McEachern Walter Malcolm Neil McEachern (1 April 1883 – 17 January 1945) was a noted Australian bass singer who enjoyed a successful career in the United Kingdom, both as a concert soloist and as one half of the comic musical duo Flotsam and Jetsam. ...

) as Themselves *

Cecil Bevan Cecil Stuart Reginald Bevan"England and Wales Birth Registration Inde ...

as Small Boys' Father *

Annie Esmond Annie Esmond (27 September 1873 – 4 January 1945) was a British stage and film actress. Esmond was born in Surrey, England. She made her stage debut in pantomime in Sheffield in 1891 and later appeared on the American as well as British stage ...

as Small Boys' Nanny *

Harry Terry Harry Terry (born 1887, date of death unknown) was an English stage and film actor. He made his stage debut in 1900, and appeared in more than 60 films between 1927 and 1952, including two films directed by Alfred Hitchcock. He was born in Londo ...

as 1st Prisoner In Cell * Ben Williams as Prison Warder

External links

* 1936 films British black-and-white films British crime drama films British historical films 1930s English-language films Films directed by George King 1936 crime drama films 1930s historical films Films shot at Shepperton Studios Films set in the 19th century Melodrama films 1930s British films {{historic-film-stub