Sorry, this movie sucks

Best movie ever!

I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

THE GIRL IN THE PICTURE is your usual quota picture, a British crime thriller about a crusading journalist who's hunting down a pretty girl seen in an old photograph. The twist is that in said photo she's seen waving to the driver of a car later linked to an unsolved murder, so by tracking her down he hopes to find the murderer himself.There are good and bad things about this movie. Donald Houston is a rather poor and uninteresting choice of lead, but Patrick Holt in support is much better as the wry detective. The lovely Junia Crawford had a brief B-movie career in the late 1950s before dying young. There are a handful of scene-setting moments that ably bring the 1950s to life, but Don Chaffey, who later directed JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS, does a strictly pedestrian job and can't seem to work up much steam. The villain is a weak and non-threatening one too. Scriptwriter Paul Ryder's best work was in the Stanley Baker heist thriller, A PRIZE OF ARMS.

All eyes are on page 3 and some people don't like what they see!!! When the page in question is bought to the attention of Echo reporter John Deering (stocky Donald Houston) he realises that the car in the picture was one that is wanted in connection with a robbery and murder!! And what's more there is a girl in the photo waving them off!! She is the key, all roads lead to the girl!! Apart from the off beat beginning it soon turns into a pretty pedestrian, follow the dots crime drama even though a review at the time called it an "honest hour's entertainment"!!The girl is Pat Dryden, an attractive cover-girl who left the chemist shop where she was employed as a sales girl for the bright lights of modeling but who, when she is found, is more in the dark than anyone else in the movie!! Yes, she did know the driver, gormless Jack Bates, but she is convinced he couldn't be the killer (and from his few scenes he doesn't seem to know which end is up!!) - it must have been the other man in the car!! Most of the plot involves a race between Deering and debonair Inspector Bliss (Patrick Holt) to track the girl down clue by clue to find out what she really knows - which is nothing much!! And to get to her before the shadowy killer does!!Houston is pretty stolid as the reporter and Holt is pretty suave - the film would have benefited by having him more in the picture but Junia Crawford as the bubbly Pat is the real reason to watch. She really brightens up the proceedings and gives the movie a light hearted touch. It's a pity she only made a handful of films - the last in 1959.

As a result of the new satellite channels we are now able to view many British crime thrillers of the 40s and 50s which we all thought were consigned to the vaults for all time.So here we are afresh.The police speeding round in their Morris police cars with bells clanging:policemen disappearing into their Tardis like police box,conveniently letting the stakeout out of sight;and of course the intrepid crime reporter who is always one step ahead of the police.It is little wonder that the police ever solved any crimes unless the villain was handed to them on a plate.Incidentally as the credits are going through we seean ABC cinema showing "Tarantula".I bet that it was a better film than this.Anyway the absurdities of the plot are entertaining enough.

A 4 year-old photograph published in the London Evening Echo provides a clue to an unsolved murder - intrepid reporter Deering (Donald Houston) and Inspector Bliss (Partick Holt) are soon hot on the trail of the 'Girl in the Picture'! Surprisingly good little mystery from the days when you got your money's worth at the pictures (supporting features, etc.!).Check out the bespectacled office boy, Wilfred - he's credited as David Greeves, but is better known as James Booth, probably world famous for his excellent portrayal of Henry Hook in 'Zulu'.Sadly, James Booth passed away in August 2005.