I Met a Murderer (1939) User Reviews (10)

A film for true James Mason Fans.

[Clement-2 · 7/10 · 19 August 1999]

If you are a true James Mason fan (as I am) here's a lovely film. I Met a Murderer (England) was literally an original home movie production released in 1937 when Mason was yet under 30 years old (27-28).

This curious and personal little movie was conceived and created by Pamela and Roy Kellino along with James Mason. It was not released in Great Britain immediately, having been rejected by Pamela's family who controlled a large segment of the film distribution business in England. (This caused a painful schism between Pamela and James and the Osterer family.) Only costing 5000 pounds to make, the cinemagraphic production values are honest yet nearly amateur quality. Most of the actors in the film were their friends and performed for nothing or small favors. The story, written by Pamela, is simple and straightforward with lots of naive, old fashioned character interactions and impulsive, hot-tempered, reflexive responses to the problems of the day (like murdering your nagging wife because she shoots the dog-what a concept!). James Mason is exquisitely handsome, and there are lots of dreamy close-ups designed to propel this young superstar into the desiring hearts of swooning bobby-soxers and young moviegoers. His smooth, commanding voice (James Masons' life long signature) is as potent at 28 years of age as it was throughout his life. James Mason and Pamela Kellino were, at this time, very personal and intimately close friends. Three years later Pamela would become Mrs. Mason and the rest is history.

I can't say this is a great movie, but it is an early short feature that shows the fiery intensity of a young James. His willful intensity portrayed here would characterize his appeal for much of his acting career. Indeed, he was the consummate screen actor, perfecting his trade tirelessly until the day of his death. The only complaint I have regarding this little gem is that the sound score is the silent film "follow-the-action-style" musical accompaniment with lots of rousing piano and jump-out-of-your-chair giddyup that can be annoying to modern listeners. Get a copy of this film if you can and enjoy the roots of one of the world's finest actors.

"Are you a tramp?"

[hwg1957-102-265704 · 6/10 · 16 December 2017]

A farmer murders his wife and runs from his farm to escape justice. He meets a writer of low brow fiction who realises he is a murderer but manages to convince him to go along with her in her caravan to where he is heading for, while writing secretly of the experience with him, seeing it as a way to make her name as a writer. Naturally on the way she falls in love with him. It is a melancholy tale but not dull. It could have done with better production values and being in colour as a lot of the film is on location in the beautiful British countryside. The continuous beauty of the landscape contrasts with the growing turmoil in the couple.

It seems like a home video as James Mason, Pamela Kellino and Roy Kellino cover writing, acting, producing and directing in one way or another. Coming out in 1939 with such a solemn and tragic tale probably didn't help its reception but it is an interesting story well told. James Mason may be an unlikely farmer but his brooding intensity works well. He may be a murderer but you do feel sorry for him.

A film worth discovering.

Deadwater

[richardchatten · 7/10 · 11 January 2021]

A semi-amateur production costing just £4,500 combining the visual beauty and Soviet-style editing of 'Earth' with the fatalism of 'La Bete Humaine', as well as the visual beauty of an unbelievably young and handsome James Mason against the unbelievably handsome backdrop of rural Buckinghamshire; doubtless all built up today.

Director Roy Kellino, being "an experienced cameraman with already the eye of a director" turned in a beautiful film which according to Mason was shot silent because on a such a tiny budget it "must perforce be more of a silent than a sound film". The burden of holding the film together thus fell upon Eric Ansell's music, and Mason later declared "I was deeply embarrassed by the loudness of the music, while lots of things that I did in it as an actor embarrassed me even more".

Unwieldy but intriguing

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 15 January 2021]

One of those strange, unwieldy and rural amateur efforts that sometimes crop up in the early days of British cinema, I MET A MURDERER is notable for its winning and sympathetic performances stemming from the casting of the excellent James Mason in the lead role. He plays a farmer harried by his nagging wife, a woman who bumps off his sheepdog in a moment of cruelty. Mason snaps and kills her in turn before being forced to go on the run. It's hardly Hitchcock, but the photography is basic and nice and the rural surrounds very well filmed. This is a film that also has an air of earnest quirkiness to it which works in its favour.

James Mason Classic

[GladtobeGrey · 7/10 · 5 August 2021]

I love James Mason and really enjoy seeing his early films when possible, thanks to channels like Talking Pictures and TCM etc. This one is no exception, however, it is spoiled somewhat for me by the loud and rather irritating music all the way through and so only seven stars from me.

Amateurish but fascinating

[petkenrow · 7/10 · 17 January 2021]

The music is is far too loud and there is a general clumsiness about the production. The prolonged twists and turns of the plot eventually become rather exhausting. But it is nevertheless a fascinating experience to see the young James Mason in action and to note that the role he plays foreshadows not only his performance in 'Odd Man Out' (1947) but also his final moments in 'A Star Is Born' (1954).

Similarities to Young and Innocent

[malcolmgsw · 6/10 · 16 March 2021]

The basic story of man on the run has many similarities to Hitchcocks film only of course in this film Mason is a murderer. He actually looks years younger than 30,whilst the actress who played his wife was the same age but looked 10 years older. Interesting early film from the international star to be.

Younger James Mason does a lot of running for Pamela's ego

[hollywoodlegend · 3/10 · 13 January 2013]

A huge thank you to the kind soul who posted this film on Youtube, which allowed me to see it. The other review on here tells all you need to know really, and thank you for that too.

Fans of James Mason will want to see this because his youthful performances were as solid as all of his work, and for the ladies, he's just pleasant to watch. Watching him work on the farm in the beginning of the film, the viewer wonders why his character ever married that miserable wife. When his real future-wife appears, viewers can wonder about that attraction too. I believe that in fan fiction, Pamela would be known as "Mary Sue." She crops up again in a LOT more of his work (groan).

James Mason does a lot of running in this film, literally, but does not get to really showcase his strong points. He might not have thought too highly of the Gainsborough Melodramas, but those are what made him # 1 with British female audiences. For a non-period piece of his early work, I would recommend "The Night Has Eyes." He's dark, brooding, rather scary, and possibly a fiend in it: that is an enjoyable performance piece for him, and the leading lady is likable. "I Met a Murderer" might have been intended as promotion for James Mason, but seems more like an ego piece for Pamela.

This is the first of three Mason films that I've watched where people's pets get killed. Boo-hiss to that! I could NOT recommend this film to the casual viewer or fan of British 30s films. As a James Mason performance, it's a 6 or 7. He simply didn't have much to work with. As a story, it's a 2.

Maine Event

[writers_reign · 5/10 · 14 January 2021]

When James Mason as Norman Maine walked into the sea in the second (and best) version of A Star Is Born he was merely replicating something he had done in England back in the day when he was at one level a prominent actor and on another a part of the history of early British sound film, in fact students of the period will get an extra bang out of this movie. The Ostrer family were major players behind the scenes and daughter Pamela Ostrer married a young writer-director Roy Kellino, both of whom befriended up-and-coming actor James Mason to the point where all three collaborated on the screenplay of I Met A Murderer, Mason played the leading man opposite Pamela Kellino, with Roy Kellino directing them both. In the fullness of time, of course, the Kellinos were divorced and Pamela became Pamela Mason and retired from the screen and Roy gradually slipped off the radar. As a farmer Mason is slightly less convincing than Arthur Mullard play the lead in The George Sanders Story whilst as a murderer he's a bad second to Alan Lake as Hamlet - and I write as a great admirer of Mason. Apparently the film was financed by Wrigley who supplied the stick of gum for which it was shot, which explains why for most of the time it has the feel of a silent film with music telling us what to feel. A definite curio.

Awesome

[dickiepinches · 8/10 · 28 April 2015]

My father was the stunt double for the scene were James Mason has to fall of a horse, my Father is 94 and and was an expert horseman. I have never seen him ride as he gave it up sadly when I was little, so it is a revelation to see him in action. Also the farmhouse featured heavily is my Grandfather's farm at Booker near Marlow which was demolished before the war. Again it's lovely to have it immortalised on film. My father is a very humble man and never one to boast or brag so I have requested a stunt credit for him as a tribute to his skills a young man. I am a filmmaker myself and I love our deep-seated history in the film business, we should be proud of our heritage and this is a classic example of a murder/thriller in the same vein as he first 2 version of the 39 steps. A jolly good film Tally Ho!