The dead from the Thames
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | The dead from the Thames |
 | |
| Country of production | Germany |
| Publishing year | 1971 |
| length | 89 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Harald Philipp |
| script |
Horst Wendlandt (as HO Gregor ) Harald Philipp |
| production |
Horst Wendlandt , Preben Philipsen |
| music | Peter Thomas |
| camera | Karl Löb |
| cut | Alfred Srp |
| occupation | |
| |
Die Tote aus der Thames is a German crime film by director Harald Philipp and the 36th German-language Edgar Wallace film of the post-war period. The production of the Rialto Film is based on motifs from Edgar Wallace's novel The Angel of Terror and was filmed from January 11 to February 14, 1971 in West Berlin and London . The premiere of the film took place on March 30, 1971 in Mainz .
action
Dancer Myrna Fergusson is shot dead by drug dealer Jim Donovan at the Portland Hotel, a third-rate hotel in London. Myrna worked for a drug organization but also worked for Scotland Yard. When Inspector Craig arrives at the scene, the body has disappeared.
Myrna's sister, Danny, is traveling from Australia to visit her sister. What she doesn't suspect, however, is that Myrna was shot. When Danny learns that Myrna was working for a drug organization, she investigates the mystery on her own. She is supported by Scotland Yard. The photographer David Armstrong offers her photos in this regard, which shows that Myrna must have moved after the murder. Shortly afterwards, Armstrong is shot dead by a mysterious shooter.
His first lead leads Inspector Craig into the factory of the meat importer William Baxter, where Jim Donovan, identified by the hotel owner, is supposed to work. Craig arrests him, but Jim Donovan is also shot. Danny's photos are stolen at the Palace Hotel. She finds out that Myrna's friend Maggy McConnor is friends with the hotel owner Louis Stoud. Maggy McConnor is employed by the Royal Ballet, where Myrna danced. Maggy tells Danny that after a performance, drugs were hidden in the dancers' clothes. Myrna is said to have been responsible for this. Danny's further investigation leads to the antique dealer Anthoney Wyman, a friend of Myrna. Wyman paid the bail on Myrna's conviction. A short time later, Wyman is also shot.
Back at the hotel, Danny is kidnapped. All leads lead Inspector Craig to William Baxter's slaughterhouse. Sir John pays him a visit in person. During that time, the hotel owner Louis Stoud is murdered. Inspector Craig rescues Danny and arrests William Baxter for kidnapping. But William Baxter is also murdered.
Myrna's body is now being recovered from the Thames. The identity is confirmed at the autopsy. But a short time later, Danny receives a call: The real Myrna is speaking on the phone. Danny is supposed to be in Piccadilly Circus. Myrna is shot there in the presence of Danny.
Inspector Craig now finds the real killer: It's the police doctor Dr. Ellis. Together with his friend Susan, Sir John's secretary, he saved Myrna from the drug ring. He exchanged the organization's seized heroin for sugar and destroyed it. But he resold the heroin with Myrna. David Armstrong died because he had evidence that Myrna was alive. Jim Donovan also died, as did the heads of the drug organization, William Baxter, Louis Stoud and Anthoney Wyman. But when Danny got the call from Myrna, Myrna died too. Because she would have betrayed Ellis.
After the case is resolved, Sir John sends Craig to Australia to work on a case. Danny is also returning to Australia.
Others
- After the failure of “ The Face in the Dark ”, producer Horst Wendlandt was initially not interested in the production of any other Wallace films. In the summer of 1970 brought Constantin Film Distribution to by Artur Brauner coproduced Giallo " The Bird with the Crystal Plumage " as Bryan Edgar Wallace film in German cinemas and landed a great success. Rialto Film then began preparing this Edgar Wallace film.
- Until shooting started, the title of the script was "The Angel of Terror". A Wallace project planned in 1969 with a different content also bore this name.
- Horst Wendlandt invented the plot under his pseudonym HO Gregor (after Horst Otto Gregor Wendlandt), which is based solely on motifs by Edgar Wallace.
- Initially, Werner Jacobs was planned as the director, who was replaced by Harald Philipp. Philipp was supposed to direct the Edgar Wallace films " The Unheimliche Mönch " (1965) and " The Gorilla von Soho " (1968). They were finally staged by Harald Reinl and Alfred Vohrer .
- As was increasingly common in the 1970s, the interior shots were not shot in the studio, but in rented rooms. The Rialto Film office served as the backdrop for Scotland Yard. Other locations in West Berlin included the New Twelve Apostles Cemetery , the Hotel Palace and the Spandauer Schlachthof. In February 1971, there were also outdoor shots in London . B. Piccadilly Circus .
- Hansjörg Felmy , who had his only role in an Edgar Wallace film, had previously starred in three Bryan Edgar Wallace films.
- Werner Peters , who starred in a total of five Edgar Wallace films, died of a heart attack on March 30, 1971, the day of the premiere, during the premiere tour for this film.
- Director Harald Philipp makes a small appearance as a chauffeur. Production manager Herbert Kerz plays William Baxter's bodyguard. He also doubled the murderer, who was only visible from behind.
- Karl Löb (14 films) was behind the camera for the last time in a film in the series. Siegfried Schürenberg said goodbye to the series after 16 Wallace films. He played the Scotland Yard boss Sir John in 12 films.
- The film was approved by the FSK for ages 16 and over without any restrictions. In 1991 it was approved for children aged 12 and over. Although the film does not contain any additional scenes, an age rating of 16 and over is given on the DVD, which was released in 2004, which is due to the accessories, as there is a note "Main film FSK 12" on the case.
Film music
Peter Thomas composed the soundtrack of an Edgar Wallace film for the 18th and last time. On the CD Peter Thomas - Film Musik by the Polydor company, released in 1992 , four titles of the music from the film were published:
- The Dead from the Thames (theme music)
- Who killed Myrna?
- Dark Waters
- Danny Alone
The theme music also appeared on other CDs.
Reviews
"Edgar Wallace himself was not always one of the logical crime writers - but the cinematic version of his book, for which Harald Philipp is to be blamed, surpasses him by far in illogic."
"The thirtieth German Edgar Wallace film [the Rialto film] offers pretty much everything that can be expected from the genre."
"Interesting Wallace [film] in an uninspired production."
"Despite little effort and flat effects, this Wallace adaptation was also successful in the cinema and on television."
"Colorful, but not enough."
"An extremely boring thriller based on Edgar Wallace, full of improbabilities and with an arbitrary resolution, acting and staging dreary and colorless."
Joachim Kramp criticized in his book Hallo - Here speaks Edgar Wallace! the “persistently long-winded atmosphere”, the “tempo and coherence” is missing, especially with the problem-free arrest of the murderer at the end of the film. Because of this "luckless direction", the otherwise passable crime thriller ran without any notable highlights.
literature
- Joachim Kramp , Jürgen Wehnert: The Edgar Wallace Lexicon. Life, work, films. It is impossible not to be captivated by Edgar Wallace! Verlag Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf, Berlin 2004, ISBN 3-89602-508-2 .
- Joachim Kramp: Hello! This is Edgar Wallace speaking. The story of the legendary German crime film series from 1959–1972 . 3. Edition. Verlag Schwarzkopf and Schwarzkopf, Berlin 2005, ISBN 3-89602-645-3 .
Web links
- The dead from the Thames in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- The dead from the Thames at filmportal.de
- The dead from the Thames ( memento from December 26, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) at deutscher-tonfilm.de
- Sound carrier with the film music
Individual evidence
- ↑ Discogs: Peter Thomas - Film Music (track list)
- ↑ The Dead from the Thames. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed June 25, 2017 .
- ↑ Joachim Kramp: Hello - This is Edgar Wallace speaking! , Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf Verlag, Berlin 1997, 2nd edition 2001, p. 225
