A clever, entertaining and well acted British B Movie. It holds your attention from start to finish. An hour film with plenty of intrigue. The film stars some of Britain's finest actors and goes some way to prove that British B Movies in the 50's and 60's ( for me ) provide great entertainment.
The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre (TV Series)
Clue of the New Pin (1961)
User Reviews
Review this title5 Reviews
Clue of the New Pin
Prismark104 February 2021
This is essentially a locked room mystery as there is little doubt as to who the murderer can be.
More of a case of how they did it.
John Trasmere is a curmudgeonly mysterious millionaire who made his fortune in the far east and it might not be entirely kosher.
His nephew Rex Lander is his private secretary and puts up with his uncle in the hope that one day he will inherit everything.
Tab Holland (James Villiers) is the television presenter who is hoping to interview Trasmere. He knows Rex and Trasmere at least gives him a tour of his house including the basement which contains a strong room.
Just after a long lost acquaintance from abroad his visited Trasmere. The latter is found dead in his strong room. The key is inside the room on top of a table.
No one can enter the room without a key.
A puzzle for Superintendent Carver (Bernard Archard). He suspects the nephew who Trasmere had earlier told that he would not inherit a penny from him.
Holland is also determined to solve the puzzle as to how Trasmere was killed.
An efficient B movie, the identity of the murderer does not remain hidden for long. Soon another body is found in similar circumstances.
You have to wonder how many people would have died before Carver made his arrest. The way the the murderer locked the room from the outside and placed the key inside was worth watching.
More of a case of how they did it.
John Trasmere is a curmudgeonly mysterious millionaire who made his fortune in the far east and it might not be entirely kosher.
His nephew Rex Lander is his private secretary and puts up with his uncle in the hope that one day he will inherit everything.
Tab Holland (James Villiers) is the television presenter who is hoping to interview Trasmere. He knows Rex and Trasmere at least gives him a tour of his house including the basement which contains a strong room.
Just after a long lost acquaintance from abroad his visited Trasmere. The latter is found dead in his strong room. The key is inside the room on top of a table.
No one can enter the room without a key.
A puzzle for Superintendent Carver (Bernard Archard). He suspects the nephew who Trasmere had earlier told that he would not inherit a penny from him.
Holland is also determined to solve the puzzle as to how Trasmere was killed.
An efficient B movie, the identity of the murderer does not remain hidden for long. Soon another body is found in similar circumstances.
You have to wonder how many people would have died before Carver made his arrest. The way the the murderer locked the room from the outside and placed the key inside was worth watching.
"He was a great man for secrets"
hwg1957-102-26570418 December 2018
Warning: Spoilers
A millionaire is killed in his sealed underground vault but was the killer the TV interviewer, the nephew, the old business partner with a grudge or the nice girl who sometimes wears his jewels. Superintendent Carver investigates. The culprit is actual shown halfway through but no matter, this is a watchable film of the classic locked room mystery variety with an ingenious use of the titular new pin.
Interest is also held by the good acting; James Villiers as the TV personality, Paul Daneman as the put upon nephew and Bernard Archard as the policeman. David Horne is ideal as the millionaire, pompous and bitter. Katherine Woodville doesn't have much to do as the obligatory love interest. Another efficient entry in the Anglo-Amalgamated Edgar Wallace series.
Interest is also held by the good acting; James Villiers as the TV personality, Paul Daneman as the put upon nephew and Bernard Archard as the policeman. David Horne is ideal as the millionaire, pompous and bitter. Katherine Woodville doesn't have much to do as the obligatory love interest. Another efficient entry in the Anglo-Amalgamated Edgar Wallace series.
If you won't marry me, I'm going to have to murder you
fillherupjacko11 February 2009
Warning: Spoilers
The original mystery millionaire, John Tredmere (David Horne) is visited at his sumptuously furnished London mansion by Ramsey Brown (Clive Morton). Brown wants Tredmere to give him a cut of his fortune. Tredmere wants Brown to go to Hell, "which is where I thought you were." Tredmere is also unhappy with nephew Rex Lander (Paul Daneman who often pops up in the Edgar Wallace series) his private secretary. Tredmere is indeed a curmudgeonly old buffer.
Lander decides to bump Uncle off when he learns from Ramsey Brown that he is not the next of kin. Years ago, Tredmere had a son out East, who's now "serving chop suey to the scum of the earth." Lander leaves Tredmere's body in a locked vault in the basement of the mansion with the vault's only key on a table inside. How did he do that?
Ramsey Brown returns wanting a cut of the inheritance so, naturally, Lander bumps him off too. Lander is now under suspicion from Supt. Carver (Bernard Archard) but fighting his corner is TV presenter Tab Holland (James Villiers) one of those annoying friends who is determined to solve the mystery without realising that his friend is the murderer. Also on board is Holland's fiancé, Jane (Katherine Woodville.) Her engagement to Holland doesn't stop Lander from proposing to Jane himself. "For the 25th time no!"
Jane wasn't above giving some private succour (no, not like that) to old Tredmere when he was still of this earth. He was a bit lonely, she tells Scotland Yard (a rare bit of characterisation from the normally one dimensional Wallace).
Lander decides to bump Uncle off when he learns from Ramsey Brown that he is not the next of kin. Years ago, Tredmere had a son out East, who's now "serving chop suey to the scum of the earth." Lander leaves Tredmere's body in a locked vault in the basement of the mansion with the vault's only key on a table inside. How did he do that?
Ramsey Brown returns wanting a cut of the inheritance so, naturally, Lander bumps him off too. Lander is now under suspicion from Supt. Carver (Bernard Archard) but fighting his corner is TV presenter Tab Holland (James Villiers) one of those annoying friends who is determined to solve the mystery without realising that his friend is the murderer. Also on board is Holland's fiancé, Jane (Katherine Woodville.) Her engagement to Holland doesn't stop Lander from proposing to Jane himself. "For the 25th time no!"
Jane wasn't above giving some private succour (no, not like that) to old Tredmere when he was still of this earth. He was a bit lonely, she tells Scotland Yard (a rare bit of characterisation from the normally one dimensional Wallace).
Very clever.
Sleepin_Dragon6 March 2024
John Trasmere is a reclusive multi millionaire, short tempered and irascible, he is irritated one evening when a face from his past drops by for a visit, soon after, he's killed, found dead in a specially built safe room, a room that nobody could have gained access to.
It's a very clever b movie, I'm pretty sure I've seen a similar plot and methodology somewhere else, but I may be wrong. This is a very well conceived, well plotted, locked room mystery.
It's not particularly difficult to work out who, but how represented something of a challenge, and the method is a very clever one. I wonder if David Renwick watched this whilst planning Jonathan Creek.
Solid performances all round, Paul Daneman and Clive Morton are good, James Villiers had recently appeared in an Edgar Wallace film, obviously impressed, and had a much more substantial role here, and Bernard Archard was always great value.
A very well imagined mystery.
8/10.
It's a very clever b movie, I'm pretty sure I've seen a similar plot and methodology somewhere else, but I may be wrong. This is a very well conceived, well plotted, locked room mystery.
It's not particularly difficult to work out who, but how represented something of a challenge, and the method is a very clever one. I wonder if David Renwick watched this whilst planning Jonathan Creek.
Solid performances all round, Paul Daneman and Clive Morton are good, James Villiers had recently appeared in an Edgar Wallace film, obviously impressed, and had a much more substantial role here, and Bernard Archard was always great value.
A very well imagined mystery.
8/10.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
