Game for Three Losers

Based on a story from Edgar Lustgarten rather than Edgar Wallace.

Robert Hilary (Michael Gough) is a married politician with his eye on high ministerial office. He has recently employed a new secretary and begins an affair with her.

Oliver Marchant, a small time con man claims to be her brother and begins to blackmail Hilary. He will claim that Hilary assaulted his sister.

The politician pays up but Marchant plans to bleed him dry. Eventually Hilary goes to the police.

The story has a thin plot and is not much of a thriller, not even a B movie potboiler.

The baddies elect to go to court but Marchant seems to have little chance of being found not guilty and risks a stiff sentence.

This 'Edgar Wallace' mystery is in fact based on the 1952 novel of the same name by Edgar Lustgarten, who despite making two separate series for the same studio doesn't receive a credit. All the more surprising as the plot follows closely that of the book, with much of the dialogue retained verbatim.

The story of a wealthy man of influence blackmailed over alleged unwarranted intimacies with his secretary might have seemed passé in 1965 and for a long time later, but has renewed relevancy in the current political climate. Despite an intriguing story and characters and some good acting, with Allan Cuthbertson at his supercilious best in a cameo as defending barrister, it all somehow doesn't add up to more than an average entry in this Merton Park series.

Happily married businessman and politician Robert Hilary lets his desire for his new secretary get the better of him, and he kisses her. Her boyfriend finds out and blackmails him, but when the blackmailer continues to return for more money Robert decides to call in the authorities. However, this leads to severe consequences for all.

Not bad thriller with some good performances from Michael Gough, who usually stars in horror films, and plays a politician who ruins his political career with one kiss, Mark Eden as the blackmailer and Toby Robins as the secretary, who, I think, steals the scene. In a way she's groomed by Eden's character as she's not too keen on this blackmail scheme. What happens to her is quite sad. The plot can be a bit thin, and lacks that excitements, but the acting keeps it from being totally dreary.

I am inserting reviews for films I've seen that lack one... My brief note on this when I saw it in 1986 was... ''Extreemly routine E.Wallace quickie with a blackmail plot that could be written on the back of a bus ticket- rare leading role for M.Gough.'' As with most of the Edgar Wallace series of the early 60's this title has 2 entries on IMDB, originally listed as part of a tv series, as these films were first screened in the USA, and under which there is a better review than mine! and then later this one where it's entered as a film. 1/10 looks a harsh rating, I think I would up-rate this if I saw it again.

Didn't catch all of it on the Talking Pictures channel, but what stood out IMHO was the pin-sharp acting, notably Toby Robins. If you're making a potboiler - with a slightly intriguing ending - fill it with quality British acting talent. Makes it well worth watching for that alone.