King of the Underworld (1952 film)
{{Short description|1952 British film by Victor M. Gover}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2016}}
{{Infobox film
| name = King of the Underworld
| image = King_of_the_Underworld_film_frame_(1952).png
| caption = Frame from the film
| director = Victor M. Gover
| producer = Gilbert Church
| based_on =
| writer = John Gilling
| narrator =
| starring = Tod Slaughter
Patrick Barr
Tucker McGuire
| music = William Trytel
| cinematography =
| editing = Helen Wiggins
| studio = Gilbert Church Productions
| distributor = Ambassador Film Productions
| released = {{Film date|1952|07}}
| runtime = 82 minutes
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
King of the Underworld is a 1952 British crime film directed by Victor M. Gover and starring Tod Slaughter, Patrick Barr and Tucker McGuire.{{Cite web |title=King of the Underworld |url=https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/ChoiceFilmWorks/150030529 |access-date=29 January 2024 |website=British Film Institute Collections Search}} It was written by John Gilling. It was followed by a sequel Murder at Scotland Yard (1953).
Plot
A master criminal is hunted by the police after committing a series of crimes.
Cast
- Tod Slaughter as Terence Reilly
- Patrick Barr as Inspector Morley
- Tucker McGuire as Eileen Trotter
- Ingeborg von Kusserow as Marie
- Frank Hawkins as Inspector Cranshaw
- Leonard Sharp as Mullins
- Anne Valery as Susan
Production
The film was made at Bushey Studios with sets designed by the art director Don Chaffey.
Critical reception
Kine Weekly wrote: "The picture is tongue-in-the-cheek stuff ... 'Sweeny Tod' Slaughter delivers every menacing line with obvious relish and is both amusing and effectively sinister as Riley, and the rest keep in step. King of the Underworld should be a crowning success with avid readers of penny dreadfuls."{{Cite journal |date=26 June 1952 |title=King of the Underworld |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2732586603/6563012449AF4A72PQ |journal=Kinematograph Weekly |pages=22 |via=ProQuest}}
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "mediocre", writing: "Slight change of pace for barnstorming star, but film not widely shown."{{Cite book |last=Quinlan |first=David |title=British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 |publisher=B.T. Batsford Ltd. |year=1984 |isbn=0-7134-1874-5 |location=London |pages=334}}
References
External links
- {{IMDb title|0125310}}
Category:Films directed by Victor M. Gover
Category:British black-and-white films
Category:1950s English-language films
Category:Films scored by William Trytel
Category:English-language crime films
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