The Narrowing Circle

The Narrowing Circle is a 1956 British crime film directed by Charles Saunders and starring Paul Carpenter, Hazel Court and Russell Napier.[1] It is based on the 1954 novel of the same title by Julian Symons.[2] A crime writer finds himself framed for murder.

This article is about the film. For the novel upon which it is based, see The Narrowing Circle (novel).

The Narrowing Circle
Directed byCharles Saunders
Written byDoreen Montgomery
Based onThe Narrowing Circle by Julian Symons
Produced byFrank Bevis
StarringPaul Carpenter
Hazel Court
Russell Napier
CinematographyJonah Jones
Edited byMargery Saunders
Music byReg Owen
Production
company
Fortress Film Productions
Distributed byEros Films
Release date
February 1956
Running time
66 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Crime writer Dave Nelson is having a bad day – ordered to share his office with ambitious rival Rosemary Speed, brushed off by the pretty food editor Laura Martin, and passed over as editor of a new magazine in favour of handsome Bill Strayte, who enjoys the affections of Miss Martin. Fed up, Nelson goes to a bar, meets a woman named Christy, and gets stinking drunk. Christy escorts Nelson to a fleabag hotel and checks him in.

The next morning, a hung-over Nelson awakens to discover himself alone in the room. Barely able to function, he manages to find his way home, and finds Strayte lying on his apartment floor, dead. Nelson dials 999. When the police arrive Inspector Crambo hears Nelson's alibi and holds off making an arrest – for now. However, when Crambo is unable to verify the existence of Christy or other details of Nelson's story, things begin to look bad. Nelson enlists his new office-mate Miss Speed to help him discover who killed Strayte.

Cast

Production

The film's sets were designed by the art director Wilfred Arnold.

Critical reception

Kine Weekly wrote: "The acting is a trifle uneven and the same goes for the direction, but a twist ending tips the scales in its favour."[3]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan wrote: ''Competently acted 'B' with a lot of plot for its running time.''[4]

Leslie Halliwell said: "Very tolerable mystery which wastes no time and plays fair."[5]

References
  1. "The Narrowing Circle". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  2. Goble, Alan (1999). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. De Gruyter. ISBN 978-3598114922.
  3. "The Narrowing Circle". Kine Weekly. 467 (2537): 10. 9 January 1956.
  4. Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 293. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.
  5. Halliwell, Leslie (1989). Halliwell's Film Guide (7th ed.). London: Paladin. p. 716. ISBN 0-586-08894-6.


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