The Fatal Witness

Evelyn Ankers stars in "Fatal Witness," a 1945 British B mystery. Ankers plays the ward of an wealthy old woman (Barbara Everest), who distrusts her heir and nephew, John Bedford (George Leigh), and thinks that he stole her emerald broach. He denies it. She winds up dead. Bedford comes under immediate suspicion by the detective in charge, William Trent (Richard Fraser). However, Bedford has an ironclad alibi for the night and time his aunt was killed. Trent still thinks that somehow, he was responsible. Blackmail and another murder follow.

This is a Columbo-type film that is entertaining and uses the usual dry ice to indicate the London fog. Evelyn Akers was an attractive horror film actress who appeared in 'The Wolf Man" and several of the Rathbone "Sherlock Holmes" mysteries. She is pretty and serviceable here, as is the rest of the cast. George Leigh is kind of a Zachary Scott type and appropriately oily.

Enjoyable.