Little Red Monkey

Little Red Monkey is a 1955 British thriller film directed by Ken Hughes and starring Richard Conte, Rona Anderson and Russell Napier.[1] 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 released in the United States by Allied Artists as The Case of the Red Monkey.

Little Red Monkey
Theatrical release poster
Directed byKen Hughes
Written byJames Eastwood
Ken Hughes
Based onstory by Eric Maschwitz
Produced byAlec C. Snowden
StarringRichard Conte
Rona Anderson
Russell Napier
Sylva Langova
CinematographyJosef Ambor
Edited byInman Hunter
Geoffrey Muller
Music byTrevor Duncan
Production
company
Distributed byAnglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors
Release date
  • 4 April 1955 (1955-04-04)
Running time
71 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The film was an international hit, and along with Confession (1955) proved a breakthrough for Anglo-Amalgamated. After its success the company began making more expensive productions, often hiring American stars for international appeal.[2][3]

Cast

Production

The film was based on a 1953 BBC Television series of the same name, written by Eric Maschwitz and produced by Bill Lyon-Shaw, which ran for six 30-minute episodes.[4] It was made by Anglo-Amalgamated at Merton Park Studios, a co-production with Anglo Guild.[5][6]

Critical reception

A contemporary review in The Monthly Film Bulletin said: "Some efficient photography and editing eke out the meagre excitements".[7]

Variety wrote: “Like many British-produced pictures, it lacks American-type pace and is a routine entry in the program market. Conte portrays a U.S. State Dept. officer [...] but displays little of the dash and ingenuity such a part calls for."[8]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as “average” and wrote: “Conte and direction a cut above the rest in this moderately exciting thriller".[9]

The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 3/5 stars, writing: "Ken Hughes honed his skills as a director of thrillers working on the Scotland Yard B-movie series. Consequently, this quota quickie has a great deal more substance and style than many of its contemporaries. [...] Hughes keeps the action on the boil, while Russell Napier and Rona Anderson are fine as a Scotland Yard detective and his niece."[10]

References
  1. "Little Red Monkey". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  2. Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 99. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
  3. Vagg, Stephen (14 November 2020). "Ken Hughes Forgotten Auteur". Filmink.
  4. "Donald Houston and Honor Blackman in 'Little Red Monkey'". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  5. Drama: Maggie McNamara Due Soon for 'Black Widow'; Conte Set for Thriller. Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 30 Apr 1954: A11
  6. Todon Doing 6th Picture Los Angeles Times 5 Feb 1956: D3.
  7. "Impact". Monthly Film Bulletin. 22 (253): 40. 1 January 1955.
  8. "Little Red Monkey". Variety. 199: 6. August 1955.
  9. Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 339. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.
  10. Radio Times Guide to Films (18th ed.). London: Immediate Media Company. 2017. p. 365. ISBN 9780992936440.
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