Fun mystery from Alec Coppel, based on his play Mr Smart Guy. It's only 55 minutes and races along - it's an early work for John Guillermin and he does an outstanding job, keeping it pacy and brisk. Actors are always moving around, the low budget is covered by keeping the action in a few rooms or doing it via close ups (eg the trial sequence). He has a neat final shot with a camera on a car or something pulling away.
I really liked the cast. I'd never seen Peter Reynolds in anything, at least I couldn't remember him - he's smug, smart, quick, bright, an ideal casting. The other actors are good too.
The story isn't great. I mean it's okay. Quite clever. I knew the twist of the ice bullet but wasn't sure what Reynolds was up to.
It did feel contrived that it goes to trial and no one notices the uncle isn't actually dead.. and that he would confess. These two things really were silly though Guillermin's pace pushes it through.
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