ALIAS JOHN PRESTON

Christopher Lee

ALIAS JOHN PRESTON (1955). Director: David MacDonald.

Sally Sandford (Betta St. John), who lives with her parents in the staid British town of Deanbridge, is rather unsatisfied with her boyfriend, Bob (Peter Grant), even though he's felt they would get married ever since childhood. Into town comes the striking and wealthy industrialist John Preston (Christopher Lee of The Gorgon), who begins buying up buildings and businesses and sweeps Sally off of her feet. When Sally accepts John's proposal, the latter realizes that he needs to enter married life with a clean slate, so to speak, so grudgingly speaks to psychologist Peter Walton (Alexander Knox of Son of Dr. Jekyll) about recurring nightmares in which he murders a blond woman, Sylvia (Sandra Dorne), with the complicity of her jilted French husband (Patrick Holt). But are these really dreams, or is something more sinister going on? What do you think?

Patrick Holt with Lee

It's a good thing Christopher Lee wound up in Horror of Dracula or he might have been doomed to be in lousy movies like Alias John Preston for the rest of his career. Clumsily directed and edited, the film has virtually no suspense or excitement. Lee gives a good enough performance, as do most of the other cast members, but as a mystery -- if that's even what this is -- the flick is a stinker. Sally seems rather plain to be attracting so many men from the town and Bob turns out to be not so tightly wrapped. Lee has decided presence in the film, but even his participation can't save it. Another low-budget British misfire. Sandra Dorne and Patrick Holt appeared together in The Gelignite Gang. 

Verdict:  Stick with Lee in Hammer horror films where he really made an impression. *1/2. 

THE GELIGNITE GANG

Wayne Morris

THE GELIGNITE GANG (aka The Dynamiters/1956. Director: Francis Searle. 

In London a gang are committing robberies by using dynamite -- or gelignite, as it is known in the UK. The head of this gang is the mysterious "Mr. G." Jimmy Baxter (Wayne Morris) is an insurance investigator who decides to go after this gang, much to the consternation of his partner, John Rutherford (Patrick Holt), who thinks this is a dangerous business best left to the police. Jimmy and John share a secretary, Sally (Sandra Dorne), whom John is smitten with, although she prefers Jimmy. She decides to help Jimmy by investigating a pawn shop that may have something to do with the gang. Then there's young Chris Chapman (James Kenney), who works in a jewelry store that is robbed, has big gambling debts, and may also be involved in the gang. A club owner named Popoulos (Eric Pohlmann), who may be a bit on the shady side, offers some assistance after his head waiter is shot trying to get info to Jimmy. 

The Gelignite Gang is a gritty and fast-paced, if distinctly minor, crime drama with some effective performances, although Wayne Morris at times seems to have wandered in from a different movie. The identity of "Mr. G" will not be much of a surprise to most viewers. 

Verdict: Unremarkable British B movie. **. 

THE HOUSE IN MARSH ROAD

Tony Wright and Patricia Dainton

THE HOUSE IN MARSH ROAD (1960). Director: Montgomery Tully. 

David Linton (Tony Wright) is a struggling novelist who lives off of his increasingly impatient wife, Jean (Patricia Dainton). Jean inherits a lovely if somewhat rundown country house -- Four Winds -- from her aunt, which means no more paying of rent, but even that doesn't satisfy David. The house is supposedly haunted by a poltergeist that the housekeeper, Mrs. O'Brien (Anita Sharp-Bolster), calls "Patrick," only because he reminds her of her late husband. As David concocts a plot to do away with Jean for her money and property so that he can be with sexy typist Valerie (Sandra Dorne), Patrick keeps interfering ...

The acting is good in Marsh Road, with Sharp-Bolster perhaps making the best impression as the peppery servant who always speaks her mind. It's an entertaining enough time-passer with a truly despicable protagonist in David. There is an interesting score by John Veale. 

Verdict: Acceptable British suspense film with supernatural overtones. **1/2.