Wanted for Murder

Written by Emeric Pressburger and Rodney Ackland, Wanted for Murder follows Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Conway (Roland Culver) as he attempts to suss out the identity of a prolific strangler (Eric Portman’s Victor Colebrooke) before he can strike again – with the film also detailing the ongoing exploits of said psychopath’s girlfriend (Dulcie Gray’s Anne) and her affable love interest (Derek Farr’s Jack). Filmmaker Lawrence Huntington has infused Wanted for Murder with an impressively (and irresistibly) stylish feel that’s evident right from the get-go, as the movie, in its opening minutes, contains an engrossing tracking shot that pursues Portman’s nefarious character as he wanders through a carnival. From there, Wanted for Murder essentially establishes itself as a police procedural that’s been augmented with hints of melodrama – as scripters Pressburger and Ackland emphasize both Conway’s continuing investigation and the comings and goings of the narrative’s periphery characters. There is, as such, little doubt that the movie inevitably settles into a watchable yet predictable and far-from-enthralling groove, with the periodic inclusion of compelling sequences (eg Victor’s suspenseful late-night encounter with his latest victim), combined with an irresistible undercurrent of dark humor, ensuring that Wanted for Murder remains perfectly watchable (if palpably padded-out) from start to finish.

**1/2 out of ****