''Salute the Toff'' is a 1952 British crime film directed by

Maclean Rogers Maclean Rogers (13 July 1899 – 4 January 1962) was a British film director and screenwriter. Selected filmography Director * '' The Third Eye'' (1929) * '' The Mayor's Nest'' (1932) * '' Up for the Derby'' (1933) * ''The Crime at Blossoms'' ...

and starring John Bentley and

Carol Marsh Carol Marsh (born Norma Lilian Simpson; 10 May 1926 – 6 March 2010) was an English actress, best known for playing the part of Rose in the 1947 film '' Brighton Rock''. Marsh was born in Southgate in North London and was educated at a convent ...

. The film was based on the 1941 novel of the same name by

John Creasey John Creasey (17 September 1908 – 9 June 1973) was an English crime writer, also writing science fiction, romance and western novels, who wrote more than six hundred novels using twenty-eight different pseudonyms. He created several charac ...

, the sixth in the series featuring upper-class sleuth Richard Rollinson, also known as "

The Toff In the series of adventure novels by John Creasey, the Toff is the nickname of the Honourable Richard Rollison, an upper-class crime sleuth. Creasey published almost 60 Toff adventures, beginning with ''Introducing the Toff'' in 1938 and conti ...

". This film and another Toff adaptation, ''

Hammer the Toff ''Hammer the Toff'' is a 1952 British crime film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring John Bentley and Patricia Dainton. The film was based on the 1947 novel of the same name by John Creasey, the 17th in the series featuring upper-class sle ...

'', were shot back-to-back at

Nettlefold Studios Walton Studios, previously named Hepworth Studios and Nettlefold Studios, was a film production studio in Walton-on-Thames in Surrey, England.lost Lost may refer to getting lost, or to: Geography *Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland * Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US History *Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...

", although there was a degree of hope that they might be lurking as yet uncatalogued in British TV archives. Both films are included on the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery (United Kingdom), National Lot ...

's " 75 Most Wanted" list of missing British feature films. This changed in 2013 when ''Salute The Toff'' was finally released on DVD from Renown Pictures Limited.

Plot

The Honourable Richard Rollinson (Bentley) is a well-known private detective who has friends and contacts in all echelons of society from the wealthy West End set to the lowest East End hovels. He likes to take on cases on behalf of underdogs, and is feared by the criminal underworld for his fearsome reputation of always getting his man. Young secretary Fay Gretton (Marsh) comes to Rollinson, worried that her employer has not shown up for work for several days and cannot be contacted. Rollinson breaks into the man's flat and finds a body – not that of Fay's missing boss, but the son of a millionaire businessman. The missing man is the prime suspect, and it is up to Rollinson to get to the bottom of the case, aided by his East End contacts. After a series of dramatic events, including Fay being abducted and tied up, the truth is finally revealed, the missing man is found, and Rollinson proves that he is innocent of any wrongdoing.

Cast

* John Bentley as Richard Rollinson *

as Fay Gretton *

Valentine Dyall Valentine Dyall (7 May 1908 – 24 June 1985) was an English character actor. He worked regularly as a voice actor, and was known for many years as "The Man in Black", the narrator of the BBC Radio horror series '' Appointment with Fear'' ...

as Inspector Grice *

Shelagh Fraser Sheila Mary Fraser (25 November 1920 – 29 August 2000) was an English actress. She is best known for her roles in the television serial '' A Family at War'' (1970–1971) and as Luke Skywalker's aunt Beru in '' Star Wars'' (1977). Early life S ...

as Myra Lorne * June Elvin as Lady Anthea * Arthur Hill as Ted Harrison * Michael Golden as Benny Kless *

Roddy Hughes Rhodri Henry Hughes (19 June 1891 – 22 February 1970) was a Welsh theatre, film and television actor, who appeared in over 80 films between 1932 and 1961. Selected filmography * ''Mr. Bill the Conqueror'' (1932) * '' Reunion'' (1932) * '' Say ...

as Jolly *

Wally Patch Walter Sydney Vinnicombe (26 September 1888 – 27 October 1970) was an English actor and comedian. He worked in film, television and theatre. Biography Vinnicombe was born in Willesden, Middlesex and began working on the music hall stages in ...

as Bert Ebbutt * Vi Stevens as Emily Ebbutt *

Tony Britton Anthony Edward Lowry Britton (9 June 1924 – 22 December 2019) was an English actor. He appeared in a variety of films (including ''The Day of the Jackal'') and television sitcoms (including '' Don't Wait Up'' and '' Robin's Nest'' He is the f ...

as Draycott * John Forbes-Robertson as Gerald Harvey *

Peter Bull Peter Cecil Bull, (21 March 1912 – 20 May 1984) was a British character actor who appeared in supporting roles in such films as '' The African Queen'', ''Tom Jones'', and ''Dr. Strangelove''. Biography He was the fourth and youngest son o ...

as Lorne *

Peter Gawthorne Peter Gawthorne (1 September 1884 – 17 March 1962) was an Anglo-Irish actor, probably best known for his roles in the films of Will Hay and other popular British comedians of the 1930s and 1940s. Gawthorne was one of Britain's most called-upo ...

as Mortimer Harvey * Pauline Johnson as Phyllis Harvey *

Peter Dyneley Peter Dyneley (13 April 1921 – 19 August 1977) was a British actor. Although he appeared in many smaller roles in both film and television, he is best remembered for supplying the voice of Jeff Tracy for the 1960s " Supermarionation" TV serie ...

as Lady Anthea's Husband * Peter Swanwick as Night Porter * Andreas Malandrinos as Frederico

Reception

''Salute the Toff'' appears to have received a favourable reception from reviewers. ''

Kine Weekly ''Kinematograph Weekly'', popularly known as ''Kine Weekly'', was a trade paper catering to the British film industry between 1889 and 1971. History ''Kinematograph Weekly'' was founded in 1889 as the monthly publication ''Optical Magic Lantern a ...

'' described it as "a sturdy, comprehensive yarn", while the ''Daily Film Renter'' called it "a deep and varied plot of robbery and murder, calculated to keep audience attention alert, a popular winner in the mystery and murder category". ''Today's Cinema'' enjoyed the film, but pointed out that sophisticated fare was not on the menu by classing it as a "bustling crime and detection action of the brand beloved by the masses".

References

External links

BFI 75 Most Wanted entry
with extensive notes * {{DEFAULTSORT:Salute The Toff 1952 films 1952 crime films British crime films British black-and-white films Films based on British novels Films directed by Maclean Rogers 1950s rediscovered films Rediscovered British films Films about missing people Films shot at Nettlefold Studios Butcher's Film Service films 1950s English-language films 1950s British films

Plot

Cast

Reception

See also

References

External links