The Trunk is a low budget, black and white 1961 British mystery film directed by Donovan Winter and starring Phil Carey, Julia Arnall and Dermot Walsh.[1]

The Trunk
Original 1961 poster
Directed byDonovan Winter
Screenplay byDonovan Winter
Story byEdward Abraham
Valerie Abraham
Produced byLawrence Huntington
StarringPhilip Carey
Julia Arnall
Dermot Walsh
CinematographyNorman Warwick
Edited byReginald Beck
Music byJohn Fox
Production
company
Donwin Films
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release dates
  • 13 February 1961 (1961-02-13) (United Kingdom)
  • 6 September 1961 (1961-09-06) (United States)
Running time
72 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Plot

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Trouble ensues when Lisa marries Henry, a British lawyer. Lisa's jealous ex-boyfriend Stephen decides to take revenge by convincing her that she has killed Diane, her husband's ex-girlfriend. Lisa gives Stephen the money he wants to keep quiet and dispose of the corpse. Unfortunately, the dead woman's other ex-lover, Nicholas, sees the two together. After getting his money from Lisa, Stephen puts Diane's body in a trunk and drives to an isolated area. There he discovers that the woman is not feigning death; she has been killed by the jealous Nicholas, in a manner that will incriminate Stephen.

Cast

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  • Phil Carey as Stephen Dorning
  • Julia Arnall as Lisa Maitland
  • Dermot Walsh as Henry Maitland
  • Vera Day as Diane
  • Peter Swanwick as Nicholas Steiner
  • John Atkinson as Matt
  • Betty Le Beau as Maria
  • Tony Quinn as porter
  • Robert Sansom as bank manager
  • Pippa Stanley as Mrs. Stanhope
  • Richard Nellor as Sir Hubert
  • Nicholas Tanner as policeman

Critical reception

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Monthly Film Bulletin said "Frame-ups, red herrings, theatrical atmosphere and a twist ending, all equally unbelievable, add up to a utility piece of melodramatic nonsense, nowhere really clever enough to arouse much enthusiasm."[2]

TV Guide wrote, "the movie is badly produced and too seamy for its own good."[3]

In The New York Times, Bosley Crowther wrote, "now that the British are importing American actors to commit homicide in their low-budget movies, they seem to have lost their flair." Crowther called it a "foolish melodrama" that is "several kilometers removed from Agatha Christie."[4]

Sky Movies called it a "creepy little thriller" that is "hugely enjoyable. The director doesn't miss a trick at tightening up the suspense."[5]

References

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  1. ^ "The Trunk". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  2. ^ "The Trunk". Monthly Film Bulletin. 28 (324): 37. 1961 – via ProQuest.
  3. ^ "The Trunk Review". Movies.tvguide.com. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  4. ^ Crowther, Bosley (1 November 1962). "Movie Review - Almost Angels - Screen: 'Period of Adjustment' Opens:Film Based on Play by Tennessee Williams Marriage Difficulties Theme of Comedy". NYTimes.com. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  5. ^ "The Trunk - Sky Movies HD". Skymovies.sky.com. 9 October 2003. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
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