The Sinister Man ( 1961 ) - An Edgar Wallace Mystery

The body of an Oxford professor is found floating in the Thames and Scotland Yard investigator Superindentant Wells ( John Bentley ) is on the job to solve the mystery. The professor was an archeologist assigned to translate a set of three ancient tablet fragments known as the Kytang Wafers. The professor - and the tablets - disappeared from Oxford weeks previously. Wells deduces that whoever murdered the professor stole the tablets and all the evidence points to one of his colleagues. Could it be his assistant, the young Miss Marlowe ( Jacqueline Ellis )? The nosy Dr. Tarn ( John Glyn-Jones )? His rival Dr. Pollard ( Patrick Allen )? Students Mitch Hallem or Johnny Choto? Or was it an outsider? Wells uses good old-fashioned British investigative techniques to uncover the murderer and locate the missing Wafers. 

The Sinister Man was the 14th film in the Edgar Wallace Mystery film series. This series of British mysteries were produced by Merton Park Studios between 1960 and 1965, with an output of almost one per month. A total of 47 mystery films were made, all of which were loosely based on stories by Edgar Wallace and all running just a little under one hour. This made them suitable B-features and also great films for re-release on television, where they began airing on ITV in 1968 under the title "Tales of Edgar Wallace".

The film is an engaging little whodunnit even though the audience is given very few clues to solve the mystery by themselves. The location scenes around Oxford and the Thames river are nice to look at and, like most of the Edgar Wallace Mysteries, there is a bevy of familiar British character actors to be seen. 

The handsome John Bentley stars as the Scotland Yard investigator Wells. He is probably best known for a supporting role in The Happiest Days of Your Life but I enjoyed him best in another British mystery - Double Exposure ( 1954 ). Patrick Allen was a very familiar face on British television, as was William Gaunt who played one of the crimebusters in The Champions ( 1968-1969 ). And then there are character actors Wilfred Brambell, John Horsley, and Edward Atienza. 

While the mystery itself is not overly mind-engaging, The Sinister Man is still worth a look at if you have an hour to spare. It will pique your interest in exploring the other Edgar Wallace titles, if nothing else. 

This post is our contribution to the 8th Annual Rule, Britannia Blogathon being hosted by A Shroud of Thoughts. Be sure to head on over to the site to explore more essays and reviews of films from across the pond.