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A fussy bean-counter stumbles into murder most foul—fully clothed in a tub, no less!
TMDB
45
IMDb
55
Watch(GB)

Counterspy (1953)

Noir-adjacentBritish B-mysteryTidy man in chaos

Overview

Drama

While perusing the books of an engineering company, fastidious auditor Frank Manning encounters rum goings on when he is approached by a woman who claiming she is being blackmailed. She begs him to find certain letters and he eventually agrees. Having obtained the letters, he takes them to a specified address where, to his horror, he finds a man, fully clothed, dead in the bath.

Flag of GBGB
Content warning
criminalauditorenvelope

Standout Aspects

Acting

Dermot Walsh's buttoned-up panic is deliciously British.

Production

Vernon Sewell squeezes maximum mood from minimal budget.

Best for:Solo: Rainy afternoon with tea and low expectations.·Background: Fold laundry while vaguely following the intrigue.
Vernon Sewell

Director

Vernon Sewell

ReleasedJul 27, 1953
Runtime1h 5m
StatusReleased

Vibe

Pacesteady
Intensitymedium
Tonemixed
Feellight
Merton Park Studios

Top Cast

Dermot Walsh

Dermot Walsh

Frank Manning

Hazel Court

Hazel Court

Clare Manning

Hermione Baddeley

Hermione Baddeley

Madame Del Mar

Alexander Gauge

Alexander Gauge

Smith

Bill Travers

Bill Travers

Rex

Archie Duncan

Archie Duncan

Jim Fenton

John Penrose

John Penrose

Paulson

Hugh Latimer

Hugh Latimer

Inspector Barlow

Beryl Baxter

Beryl Baxter

Plattnauer's Accomplice

Ask about Counterspy

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Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Trivia

Vernon Sewell directed over thirty low-budget British thrillers, often completing shoots in under two weeks. This was typical output.

Cultural

The 'dead man in the bath' trope was a post-war British thriller staple—here played almost for dry comedy amid the supposed tension.

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