Movie review - "Blackout" (1954) aka Murder by Proxy ** (warning spoilers)

Early work from Hammer - when they were just a B picture outfit, though only a few years away from glory. Terence Fisher directed, Michael Carreras produced. Belinda Lee, who would've been great in a Hammer horror, is gorgeous as the femme fetale.

This has an exciting set up - in a nightclub Lee proposes marriage to a drunk Dane Clark who wakes up and discovers Lee's father has been killed and he might be a suspect. But the film doesn't develop it. Too many scenes outside. Too much talk about business and stuff happening off screen.

At first I loved Clark's American ness because it meant he was isolated in London... but it turns out he has a family there including an ethnic momma. Lee is gorgeous and can act and is way too good looking for Clark, who had no business being a leading man.

Fisher didn't have enough time to do a first rate directing job - there's long takes, I assume it's for budget. This start to promisingly. Fantastic opening scene. It slows down and becomes dull.