Blacklisted Crew

 

 (imdb)

FINGER OF GUILT-1956-Expatriate American film editor Reggie Wilson (Richard Basehart; in MOBY DICK the same year), now a producer in England after a scandal in the US, receives threatening blackmail letters from a woman he says he doesn't know. Since the US scandal involved an affair with his boss's wife he's looked on a little doubtfully when he says it's not true. Eventually he meets his accuser Evelyn Stewart (Mary Murphy; THE WILD ONE)) who seems to know all about Reggie and is genuine in her convictions. He tells the star of his new production (and former lover) Kay (Constance Cummings) that he thinks he is losing his mind. Things spiral out of control after he makes a few blunders. 

Interesting little English drama from Joseph Losey (who has a cameo as a director), also an expatriate American blacklisted out of Hollywood. He's credited as Alec C. Snowden and screenwriter Howard Koch is credited as Peter Howard (he was blacklisted too).

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M2

 

 (letterboxd.com)

M-1951-Los Angeles is terrorized by a child murderer (David Wayne). The police are baffled. Things get so bad, innocent people are attacked. Two cops (Howard DeSilva and Steve Brodie) investigate as the mayor (Jim Backus) blows his top. The killing of a councilman's granddaughter stirs things up. Mobster Charlie Marshall (Martin Gabel), who's gang includes Raymond Burr, Walter Burke and Norman Lloyd, hatches a plot with a drunken lawyer Langley (Luther Adler) to find the killer themselves because the cops are too close to their operations. They hire bums and other street denizens to comb the streets while the cops interrogate recently released mental patients (William Schallert plays one of them). The pathetic whistling killer collects kids' shoes and plays the flute. His problems seem to stem from his mother. When the killer gets himself trapped in a warehouse with a little girl, the gang goes in and gets him (a kind of ridiculous scene). 

The finale is an interesting mock trial where Langley turns the tables on Marshall. Not a bad remake of the classic German thriller (from 1931) with solid acting, by Jospeh Losey (THE BOY WITH THE GREEN HAIR (1948)) who was soon after blacklisted and fled to England.

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Black & White Hammer

THESE ARE THE DAMNED-1963-American vacationing in London Simon Wells (Macdonald Carey, a little too old for his role) is beat up by a gang of Teddy Boys. Although they all dress in leather jackets their leader King (Oliver Reed) wears a suit jacket. Somehow Simon winds up falling in love with King's sister Joan (Shirley Anne Field). While hiding from King on an island they come upon a group of children who are being used in a government experiment involving radioactivity.

This black and white thriller directed by ex-patriot American Joseph Losey (he'd gone to England after being blacklisted in the '50's) takes a little time to get started but is very effective and has an eerie climax. Also with Viveca Lindflors, Alexander Knox and James Villiers.

The above poster makes it seem like a horror film when it's actually a science fiction drama with some social commentary, This was a Hammer-Seven Arts co-production and the executive producer was Michael Carreras.

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