Murder on Monday (1952)

A delightful little film, 19 December 2020

David Preston (Ralph Richardson) arrives home from work on Monday night just as he always does - or so he thinks.  He’s shaken when he learns that it’s really Tuesday night and he cannot account for the last 24 hours.  He’s doubly troubled to learn that a man he didn’t care for was murdered and a witness swears that Preston was the last person seen talking to the man.  Can Preston rediscover the lost day and clear his name?

Overall, Murder on Monday (or Home at Seven) is a delightful little film.  I enjoyed almost every second.  There are two things I can point to that make this film stand out - the acting and the writing.  Richardson is perfect as the man trying to discover what’s happened to him.  You can see the confusion etched across his face.  He’s joined by the lovely Margaret Leighton as his wife, Janet.  I can’t explain how much I enjoyed her performance.  From the fretting over her husband to the joy she expresses when there appears to be some good news, she’s divine.  Together, the pair make the perfect on-screen couple.  The scene where Preston, over tea and toast, tries to tell Janet how to carry on if something should happen to him is a great example of their on-screen chemistry.  They are ably joined by Jack Hawkins, Campbell Singer, and Meriel Forbes in supporting roles.  As for the writing, well, I’ve already used this word, but Anatole de Grumwald’s screenplay is simply delightful.  The story was intriguing and suspenseful enough that it held my attention throughout.  The little pieces of the mystery that point to Preston’s guilt unfold nicely.  And the solution to the mystery wasn’t so far-fetched that I couldn’t buy into it.  It’s a solid piece of writing.  

Not only did he star, but this the sole directing credit from Richardson’s long career.  I'm really shocked because I thought he did a fantastic job.  Murder on Monday could easily feel “stagey”, but Richardson kept things moving at a nice pace.  I never once got that claustrophobic feeling you can get from such a small set.  And the movie looks amazing.  I was so impressed with little things like some of the shots through windows out to the street.  Nice stuff. 

 

8/10