Trent's Last Case

I failed to notice that Orson Welles was in this film (recently screened by Talking Pictures TV), and when he appeared I wondered why the actor was impersonating Welles under a load of truly horrible makeup. However, Orson's talent shines through, especially in the car scene.

Kenneth Williams appears briefly - finding the body, and giving evidence at the inquest - in a Welsh accent! He was of Welsh descent, but was a true Cockney: there's a plaque on his parent's home in Marchmont Street. A small touch heralds his future brilliance: as the camera pans over the impassive witnesses, he gives one twitch of the cheek.

Margaret Lockwood is beautiful and enigmatic, and her servants (butler Martin and secretary Marlow) are characterful and convincing. Her wardrobe is fabulous. This was the era of the "New Look", which so often translated as the new frumpy. It consciously looked back to the eighteen-forties and fifties. As Lockwood sits in a box at a concert she looks straight out of the 1850s. The pianist, Eileen Joyce, plays Mozart in a train that covers most of the stage.

Philip Trent's art is not too bad - I wonder who did the prop drawings?

Michael Wilding takes up "Trent's Last Case" in this 1952 film directed by Herbert Wilcox for Republic Studios. It's British with a British cast that includes Margaret Lockwood, John McCallum, Hugh McDermott, and one American, Orson Welles, who was probably trying to raise money for a project.

Trent is an artist and also an amateur detective. He gets involved in the suicide of a wealthy man named Manderson, but as he investigates, it looks more and more like murder. One suspect stands out, but how to prove it?

Unlike many detectives in books and movies, Trent is fallible. This is a neat mystery with a few red herrings. I don't agree that it was dull; I think the story itself keeps the film going, as well as the attractive Michael Wilding. Wilding falls in with many of those tall, good-looking British actors from the '50s - Robert Flemying, Michael Rennie, etc., and probably wouldn't be well known here if he hadn't married Elizabeth Taylor. Nevertheless, he was quite urbane with a great voice and acquits himself well as Trent. Margaret Lockwood is lovely as the victim's widow, and she keeps you guessing.

Not as bad as some reviewers claim. Maybe not as good either, but I enjoyed it. Orson Welles apparently had an obsession with using fake noses on his characters. It's really obvious in profile.

This viewer is not exactly a devotee of the films of Herbert Wilcox but this one is not at all bad. E. C. Bentley had intended his novel to be a parody and although Wilcox has chosen to play it straight one cannot actually take it too seriously. This director's notable lack of flamboyance happens to suit this rather innocuous, teddibly civilised period piece very well.

It is presented by Republic Pictures for whom Orson Welles had made his bizarre 'Macbeth.' One is intrigued by his third billing and eagerly awaits his appearance. It is certainly worth the wait as his Mephistophelian presence and basso profundo are absolutely magnetic. It seems as if we are suddenly in an entirely different film and one is hardly surprised to learn that Welles wrote and directed his own scenes!

As for the rest of the film we have the debonair Michael Wilding, certainly no stranger to Wilcox, who is well cast as Bentley's engaging amateur sleuth of the title. Playing the widow of the millionaire who is assumed to have committed suicide, although Trent suspects foul play, is Margaret Lockwood. It is far more difficult to play 'good' than 'bad' and Miss Lockwood is more effective when playing the latter. The same comment would also apply to John McCallum as the prime suspect. The delightful Miles Malleson is, well.....Miles Malleson!

There is splendid use made of the Larghetto from Mozart's C minor piano concerto which suits the melancholy mood of the film.

By far the best scene(surprise, surprise) is one directed and wonderfully lit by Welles in which he and John McCallum discuss Shakespeare's depiction of a husband's jealousy in 'Othello'. Welles remarks that he had recently seen this play performed at St. James's Theatre and was none too keen on the leading actor. He is of course referring to, yes, you've guessed it........ himself!

I was pleasantly surprised by this film. I fail to understand why so many people have criticized it. I thought the entire peace of work was brilliant! Orson Welles gives a stirring and chilling performance as an insane cynical business man. I especially loved the fact that his presence remains quite strong through out the entirety of the film. The story reeks of the talent of Orson Welles. I am surprised that he did not direct the peace himself. We follow the story of a young new reporter looking for the story of a life time. He finds such a story within the home of a black widow, brilliantly played by Margret Lockwood. As i have stated many times, Margret Lockwood never ceases to amaze me with her subtle, but layered performances. She manages here to evoke a certain dismalness that cannot go unnoticed. She plays a rather mellow and unfeeling part. Frankly, her character is really not all that interesting. Margret plays her part well, but the part is very limited. The main focus is the character of Trent, a savvy and sly man who will stop it nothing to find the truth. This film is a classic murder mystery, produced in a citizen Kane manner. The flash back sequences are very well crafted, as well the plot and story structure. The other characters are also quite interesting. The character of Marlow is perhaps the victim of this tale and probably the most sympathetic of all characters. However,the ending is rather cliché and slightly destroys the tone of the film. I do recommend this film though on so many levels. If you want a good mystery story, as well as some good acting, then sit back and enjoy!

Surprisingly for me, this is a remake of a movie based on a novel written in 1913 or whereabouts. Surprisingly, because the plot is nothing special, a sort of opposite-gender "Leave her to Heaven", but a lot more lackluster.

Michael Wilding is the titular Trent, a bland and moderately charming artist-journalist (?) investigating the bizarre suicide of unpleasant billionaire Sigsbee (???) Manderson. What with the weird name? Anyway, after a coroner's verdict of suicide, Trent is intrigued by allegations of Manderson's wife having an affair with her husband's dashing secretary.

Lockwood plays the wife and she's the only substantial and charming presence in the movie. There is a lot of talk and only by the third act we get to see Orson Welles with bushy eyebrows and prosthetic nose as Sigsbee and he's indeed a malevolent character but also very grotesque, due to the ridiculous disguise.

After long explanations from all the players the movie ends on a happy, albeit forced, note.

Due to Welles appearing so late and to take advantage of the popularity of an earlier film, in Italy this was titled "The Third Man Returns", even if it has nothing to do with that masterpiece.