Sunday, May 13, 2018

The Black Abbot (1934)

The Black Abbot is a highly enjoyable quota quickie. As it is a film of that type then of course it was rather cheaply made and sometimes a bit rushed in the case of this crime drama it makes it all the more enjoyable.

A criminal gang use the legend of a ghost in the home of stately home of John Hillcrist (Farren Soutar) to lure him into a position where they can kidnap him for ransom.

Assisted by an American detective who just happens to be on holiday over here (Ben Welden) the plan is to pretend to pay the ransom then catch the gang in the act. However suspicion falls on Frank Brooks (John Stuart), the fiance of Hillcrist's daughter Sylvia (Judy Kelly), is he really behind the plot and was he just with Sylvia to arrange the terrible crime? As the hilarious toff Lord Jerry (Richard Cooper) might say, "What a rotter!"

It is a fun little film, light hearted and silly rather than dark and menacing. The tiny budget means that most of the action takes place in just a couple of different scenes and action is saved in favour of talking most of the time. It doesn't detract from the film in this case.