The Ringer

Films with Herbert Lom are all dreadful. I bailed out halfway through. I was expecting a decent mystery and instead we get amusing "antics". There is a touch of wit in the script: "You don't look happy, Bliss." "Know Mr Meister? Yeah, we went to different schools together!" William Hartnell mugs frantically as the ex-con hired as a security expert, and Dora Bryan turns up as his wife. But they are given not much to do apart from over-act. Herbert Lom has his eye on his secretary, Mai Zetterling, who is in the UK illegally. This is nauseating rather than funny. Greta Gynt turns up as the Ringer's wife, using her sneering "bad girl" voice. When she sounds like a lady, is she dubbed? Or vice versa? I love Greta, but even she couldn't make me stay as it all got sillier and sillier. Donald Wolfit as a shabby scottish pathologist was unbearable, and his perving over Greta repulsive.

"Great film, well worth watching. It keeps you in suspense." ?? Er, no it doesn't. Bleedin' obvious who the ringer is and William Hartnell as a dodgy "luv a duck guv'ner" small time crook was laughable. This must have been a stage play originally as I have never seen so many main characters in one room, with the police cohorting with the crooks - ridiculous!

The problem with this film is that the performance of Donald Wolfitt points to him as the obvious suspect that it totally destroys any element of suspense.The ending is so ridiculous that it leaves you feeling cheated.William Hartnell is entertaining as the ex con.Herbert Lom plays a crooked solicitor who seems to be playing in a different film from Wolfitt.

THE RINGER is a rather cheap and cheerful 1952 adaptation of one of the most popular Edgar Wallace novels out there. The setting is the typical country mansion, where the urbane but slightly sinister Herbert Lom finds himself under police protection after being targeted by the titular criminal, recently returned to the country from Australia. It plays out as a real whodunit, enlivened somewhat by William Hartnell's amusing working class humour which is a treat from this against-type character actor. Elsewhere, Donald Wolfit gives an unrecognisable turn as an eccentric doctor, and there are dependable performances from the likes of Mai Zetterling and Denholm Elliott to boot.

It's a really enjoyable pot boiler, I enjoy watching the Police hunt for The Ringer, what a great name. You think you know what's happening, and you may be right, you may also have got it spot on. It's a very nicely made, film, well shot and directed, with some fine performances, Herbert Lom and Denholm Elliot are excellent, Dora Bryan is a scream, but it's Hartnell who steals it as Sam Hackett. Did he get what he deserved? 8/10

First of all I must say I love this film. I remember watching it about 30 years ago, and I recall enjoying it a lot. Some people will say the Ringer is predictable I would beg to differ slightly, I would say that its predictability adds to its unpredictably if that makes sense! It's a fairly short film which suits me with my diminishing concentration levels, great acting, Herbert Lom playing a typical bad guy, a young Denholm Elliott and William Hartnell playing a cheeky cockney villain. I for one think its great entertainment, bought a copy from Amazon and have watched it twice in 3 days. Marvellous ending by the way. Enjoy it Nick