Valentine Dyall has just been released from prison, and he has vengeance on his mine, vengeance on his ex-partner Arthur Brander, who framed him into prison. Dyall intends to ruin him, delaying his deliveries, sabotaging his equipment, gradually destroying his business and his life. After a while, not only is he watching his plans do well, but Dyall's business is doing well, and he's in love with his secretary, Anne Firth, and she with him.
Then Dyall discovers he has a disease. He can retire and he may live a few years: otherwise, six months. So he works out another plan and hires Richard Goolden (in a fine little creepy role) to murder him and frame Brander in five months. Goolden looks upon it as an interesting professional challenge, accepts his retainer -- in pounds, not guineas -- and goes away. Next Dyall learns of an operation that can save his life. Can it save him from Goolden?
My first encounters with Dyall was as an occasional performer on BBC's THE GOON SHOW, usually parodying his radio performance as "The Man In Black"; I suppose he added something, with his low, sonorous voice, but how could I be sure he wasn't really Peter Sellers? He does well here in this cheap, short, rather creepy production. It's clearly a lesser effort, produced, written and directed by former assistant cameraman Alan Cullimore. There's little wrong with it except for a horribly intrusive score.
