Adventure in Blackmail (1942)
Low-key British comedy starring Clive Brook as a successful playwright who is sued for breach of promise by a mysterious beauty he claims not to know.
Watch Trailer
Free Trial Channels
Cast
Reviews
Lack of good storyline.
The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.
The film may be flawed, but its message is not.
It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film
I viewed the 66minute American version of this film which is strangely titled "Adventure In Blackmail".The film originally ran for 79minutes and many scenes have been brutally truncated.This may contribute to the lack of humour though i somehow doubt it.The first problem is with the script which is unfunny surprising given that Emric Pressburgers name is attached to it.It may also be the fact that Clive Brook at 55 is just too old a lead to make the premise of the film work particularly when you consider that Judy Campbell was just 26 when the film was made.So it rather undercuts the prenise of Breach of Promise.As with all farces the situation gets rather turned on its head and we land up with a very predictable ending.Compare this with say My favourite wife made about the same time by RKO in Hollywood.Imagine what Cary Grant and Irene Dunne could have made with these parts.A lot more than Brook and Campbell.