PROFILE

Thea Gregory, Kathleen Byron, John Bentley

PROFILE (1954). Director: Francis Searle.

Margot (Kathleen Byron) is married to an older man, Aubrey (Stuart Lindsell), who decides to publish a new magazine called Profile. He hires Peter (John Bentley of Calling Paul Temple) as the editor, a situation which is all to Margot's liking as she has a decided yen for Peter. Things get even more complicated when Aubrey's daughter, Susan (Thea Gregory), comes to work in the office -- where Margot hangs out every day -- and she and Peter begin falling for each other. Margot is not about to stand for that. Before long Peter is being accused of embezzlement and Margot is insisting he was actually framed by her husband. But is this really the case?

John Bentley and Kathleen Byron

Frankly, it's hard to care, because Profile is a dull picture. Had this same basic plot been employed by, say, Hugo Haas at an American studio, and a bit more melodrama and sexiness instilled in it, it may have amounted to at least an entertaining timepasser. Instead this just lumbers along without ever igniting. Other characters include Margot's sleazy ex-husband, Charlie (Gerard Green), the jealous artist Jerry (Ivan Craig), and Michael, the  butler (Lloyd Lamble). There's some very minor excitement when one of them falls into a printing press. The acting in this is professional but no one is really given a chance to shine. Francis Searle also directed The Gelignite Gang. 

Verdict: Another bad British nominal mystery. **.