‘Circle of Danger’ is a post-war British thriller directed by French filmmaker Jacques Tourneur (known for ‘Cat People’ and ‘Night of the Demon’). It stars Welsh-born actor Ray Milland, who later made it big in Hollywood. Although I know him best as a murderer of the week during the golden years of ‘Columbo’, he’s perhaps best-remembered for his Academy Award-winning performance in Billy Wilder’s ‘The Lost Weekend’.
In ‘Circle of Danger’, Milland plays Clay Douglas, an American who heads over to the UK to find out how his brother died during the war. Unusually, he was the only casualty from his regiment, and details of his death during a secret mission are shrouded in mystery.
On his travels to the Highlands of Scotland, Clay meets Elspeth Graham (Patricia Roc from ‘The Wicked Lady’), and the two form a romance that provides him with some solace as he investigates his brother’s death. However, as he follows leads and meets people who knew his brother, he has to determine whether they are friend or foe. Every time he edges closer to the truth, Clay’s obsessional need to find answers threatens to drive a wedge between himself and Elspeth.
The film also features Hugh Sinclair as Hamish McArran, the leader of Clay’s brother’s regiment, and a camp performance by Marius Goring (‘A Matter of Life and Death’) as Sholto Lewis. It is unusual to see a gay character depicted in a film of that era, and Goring plays it with sensitivity and integrity.
There are some other fantastic British character actors of the day who have brief cameos and make the most of them. Colin Gordon from ‘The Prisoner’, Dora Bryan (‘Last of the Summer Wine’ and many other treasured comedies), John Bailey (‘Doctor Who’) and Peter Butterworth from several ‘Carry On’ films. As a fan of classic ‘Doctor Who’, I was curious to see both John Bailey and Marius Goring in the credits, as they played a significant double act in the 1967 story ‘The Evil of the Daleks’. Alas, they don’t share any screentime here.
‘Circle of Danger’ accurately captures something of Britain in the 1950s. Events had not yet given way to the radical changes and liberalism that swept in throughout the 1960s, and there is a post-war gloominess as the country rebuilds and re-evaluates its position in the world. The crisp black and white film footage and the extensive use of locations helps to engender a sense of realism. The cinematography (by ‘Fiddler on the Roof’s Oswald Morris) is excellent, and the rugged scenery undoubtedly adds to the atmosphere of the piece. In some ways, it’s remarkably similar to Mike Hodges’ ‘Get Carter’, that came along some two decades later and made a star of Michael Caine. Except that Ray Milland’s Clay Douglas is no assassin or thug. His patient interrogations lead him into danger, but he doesn’t shoot his way out of it. The final showdown, as the truth emerges, is well-handled and certainly the most memorable scene of the movie.
Almost three quarters of a century after it was made, ‘Circle of Danger’ stands up as an entertaining story that has enough twists and decent characters to recommend it. By today’s standards, it is tame, and the short running-time means that nothing is lingered on for long. In fact, the final few scenes come at such breakneck speed to serve a tidy ending that the story loses a touch of credibility. Fans of British film of the era, who enjoy titles from the Rank Organisation and others, will find much to enjoy about this decent thriller from the archives.
The new 4K restoration on Blu-ray is impressive. The picture quality is sharp and the sound comes through clearly on modern home entertainment speakers. For those who like to delve behind the scenes, there is an interview with Christina Lane, the author of ‘Phantom Lady: Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison, the Forgotten Woman Behind Hitchcock’. She speaks extensively about Joan Harrison, who produced ‘Circle of Danger’. There’s also an interview with Imogen Sara Smith, author or ‘In Lonely Places: Film Noir Beyond the City’ and an introduction by French cinema historian Jean-Baptiste Thoret.
Cast: Ray Milland, Patricia Roc, Marius Goring, Hugh Sinclair, John Bailey, Dora Bryan Director: Jacques Tourneur Writer: Philip MacDonald Released by: Studiocanal Certificate: U Duration: 86 mins Release date: 5th February 2024 Buy ‘Circle of Danger’
