The Narrowing Circle

Julian Symons wrote an excellent mystery which was also revealing about British social attitudes of the time. It was always going to lose something in its translation to the big screen but this film is below average even by contemporary British 'B' movie standards. It just becomes a run-of-the-mill whodunit with the characterization so thin that the unmasking of the guilty party is distinctly underwhelming. The budget apparently wouldn't stretch to the usual second division American star so the over-familiar Paul Carpenter turns out once again. Glamorous Hazel Court is some compensation as always and Trevor Reid is accomplished as the cynical detective.