Three Silent Men

Unlike the other reviewer on this site, I found THREE SILENT MEN quite dull despite elements of interest in the narrative. It feels very much like a 1930s murder mystery updated to the then-present day, 1940, which leads to the addition of a plot involving an unnamed enemy country and the development of technology to help that country win the war. I'm not sure why Germany wasn't named after we had declared war at that stage, but the implications are clear.

The opening sequences are a bit fuddled although the direction of the scenes involving the speeding car are quite fun. After this point the film settles down into becoming a traditional murder mystery with the finger of suspicion pointed at top surgeon Sebastian Shaw (RETURN OF THE JEDI). Despite the short running time this is a film that feels very dragged out and many of the comedy scenes involving the drunken yokels and the in-fighting of the reporters do nothing to add to the plot in any way. Things only get lively at the very end. A youthful Andre Morell, future Hammer star, plays in support.