Dead by Morning

Patrick Holt and Diana Dors arrive at their new home in the country. He plans to start his new murder mystery, when in stalks Cicely Courtneidge demanding a room for the night and giving orders. The next morning, the couple discovers her dead in an armchair. PC Jack Hulbert shows up, followed by Inspector Joss Ambler.

It's the first movie with Hulbert and Miss Courtneidge in more than a decade, and this comedy-mystery is directed by Leslie Arliss at farce speeds. Unfortunately, there's little in it witty and very funny once Miss Courtneidge is reduced to a corpse. Holt and Miss Dors are a bit too sedate, Ambler is grouchy, and A.E. Matthews shows up at the beginning; he's funny, but then he vanishes, irrelevant to the plot.

It's a common issue with comedies that have a story to tell: the laughs are in the beginning, then the fun is abandoned in favor of the plot. It's a fair mystery, and it's good to see Hulbert and Miss Courtneidge on the screen, but despite some bits and bobs, it's dull.

Obviously designed as a second feature to a cinematic double bill, "Miss Tulip Stays The Night" aka "Dead By Morning" is a static low-budget comedy-mystery, set mostly inside one apartment, with a small cast, and loaded with circular talk to pad out the running time (it feels MUCH longer than its 65 minutes), leading to a rushed resolution. If there is one reason to bother with it, it's pouty Diana Dors, who shows a pleasing knack for comedy; in fact, she's so good that you may wish she had done more comedies in her career and fewer dreary dramas. OK, "Feathers" is sometimes funny as well. ** out of 4.

Since this is film stars Diana Dors the title seems to be a sexy comedy but it's not what you think. Diana Dors is the wife of a mystery writer, Patrick Holt, who is experiencing writer's block. Ms. Dors has rented a cottage for the in the country to help. But their peaceful refuge is invaded by the demanding elderly Miss Tulip who claims she is being stalked and demands they do what they can to make her comfortable in their cottage. When things run to murder and the police arrive, writer husband is hard pressed to investigate the mystery while being demeaned by police inspector Joss Ambler. The real fun is between Dors and brow-beaten constable Jack Hulbert. While the lightweight mystery unfolds, Dors and Hulbert keep a light comic element working. It's not any great shakes, but fun to watch Dors' comic talent shine.

Now I appreciate that the BIG has to negotiate for rights to films it releases on DVD so what persuaded them to invest time and effort into releasing this load of rubbish.The cast is interesting on paper but in reality they don't tell.What on earth is Diana Ford doing in this,shortly before her trip to America to try and do for TOO what Monroe had done for Fox.Can anyone seriously believe that Patrick Holt is her husband.Lovely Courtneidge who always acted as if she had a bad case of st vitus dance.Her husband Jack Gilbert smuggling his way through the film.The plot is virtually non existent and if you thought that you were going to see a serious thriller well you will have to think again.At 65 minutes it feels more like 2 hours.

Patrick Holt is "Dax", a successful crime writer who is suffering from a bit of a mental block. His wife "Kate" (Diana Dors) suggest they take a break in the country where they encounter the eponymous "Miss Tulip" (Cicely Courtneidge) - but not for long. On coming down in the morning, they discover the French windows open and their guest shot dead. The police arrive and under the investigative gaze of "Insp. Thorne" (Joss Ambler) the game is afoot. Dors was always a very light-weight actress and offers little of substance here, but at times there is a bit of fun tit-for-tat dialogue between the policeman and the novelist to keep this otherwise entirely forgettable comedy off the rocks. The ending is not quite the stuff of Agatha Christie but it's a little bit quirky and all-in-all this is actually quite a passable, low-budget, hour or so of bucolic sleuthing.