Cast A Dark Shadow.

 

Dirk Bogarde with Margaret Lockwood.

Edward Bare (Dirk Bogarde) marries a widow very much older than himself; Mollie's (Mona Washbourne) husband had died and left her very well off. Edward kills her, making it seem like an accident, but his timing is miscalculated and finds the balk of her fortune ends up with her sister Dora who lives in Jamaica. Our Bluebeard is soon planning his next scam, meeting and marrying another well off widow Freda Jeffries (Margaret Lockwood) but she turns out not to be such a soft touch as his first wife. Edward then becomes acquainted with Charlotte Young (Kay Walsh) who is looking to purchase property that can be used as an equestrian school. As Edward used too be an estate agent he escorts her to see various properties!

The demise of Mona Washbourne.

Directed by Hackney born Lewis Gilbert who had appeared in more than seventy films before he moved behind the camera to become an assistant director in the late 1930's. Over the next fifty plus years he went on to direct some 40 films the best known was probable Alfie (1966) which was adapted from a Bill Naughton's play and starred Michael Caine as the sixties icon. Later work included Educating Rita in 1983, which again featured Caine, Shirley Valentine (1989) and three James Bond films; You Only Live Twice (1967), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and Moonraker (1979). The atmospheric suspense drama Cast A Dark Shadow (1955) is a lesser-known film but one worth seeking out, if for nothing more than its brilliant cast. As always Dirk Bogarde, as the wife murderer Edward 'Teddy' Bare, is convincing in any role he takes on, with Walsh and Washbourne superb in support but Margaret Lockwood as the tough and gritty ex publican a role she makes both entertaining and touching and the main reason for seeing this movie. John Cresswell adapted the script from the Janet Green play Murder Mistaken.