The Last Curtain

THE LAST CURTAIN is a British quota thriller that was shot at Pinewood Studios, so it has a better standing (and budget) than rival films shot at Twickenham. It has a more complex plot than the regular quota quickies of the era and a greater cast of characters, most of whom seem to be working against each other.

The film has two central locations that happen to be in buildings opposite each other on the street. The first is a patisserie that acts as a front for a criminal gang of jewellery robbers. The second is a theatre presided over by an incredibly pompous actor who just so happens to be a fence for the criminals. Into this setting comes two newcomers, a man fresh from prison looking for a new start, and a young actress from the provinces with dreams of stardom.

What I liked about THE LAST CURTAIN is that it remains difficult to predict what will happen throughout. Each character seems to be scheming and there's a genuinely dangerous undercurrent to the proceedings which makes it pretty suspenseful. Campbell Gullan's pompous theatre star is a send up of a type and incredibly funny with it. John Wickham and Greta Gynt are fine as the young lovebirds and it's fair to say they have their fair share of trials and tribulations as the narrative progresses. The main bad guy is played by hard-working Canadian actor Kenne Duncan who made literally hundreds of B-movies, mostly westerns, over a long career. Mervyn Johns has a minor role. THE LAST CURTAIN is never less than watchable and passes the time merrily enough.