1956's "Lady of Vengeance" was an obscure British 'B' rarely seen in its day, issued by United Artists in the US in August 1957, first popping up on Turner Classic Movies in November 2008. Dennis O'Keefe is the imported Hollywood star, 12 years before his death, as powerful newspaper mogul William T. Marshall, whose pretty young ward (Eileen Elton) inexplicably commits suicide by jumping in front of a passing train. Marshall soon receives a message from the dead girl, explaining the circumstances surrounding her decision, which leads him to bribe a shady stamp collector named Emile Karnak (Anton Diffring) into helping him 'commit a murder,' on the condition that the intended victim suffers a slow and painful demise. Bogged down by a romantic sideline involving Marshall's lovely secretary (Ann Sears), plus occasional flashbacks featuring his ward, the film provides an excellent example of villainous Anton Diffring's scene stealing artistry. "Lady of Vengeance" appeared twice on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater - May 9 1964 (paired with 1958's "Terror in the Haunted House") and Aug 28 1965 (paired with 1953's "The Neanderthal Man").
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kevinolzak7 December 2011
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blanche-224 December 2014"Lady of Vengeance" from 1957 could have been better, yes, but it is what it is -- one of those "B" British films that can be kind of fun.
This one stars Dennis O'Keefe, who made several of these types of films.
Dennis O'Keefe plays a newspaper mogul, William Marshall, whose ward (Eileen Elton) committed suicide. He receives a letter from her after her death that tells the story of what led her to such a drastic act.
Marshall approaches a stamp collector named Karnak (Anton Diffring) in order to get his help in committing a murder, on one condition: the victim must suffer a slow, painful death.
In other hands, this might have been terrific; here it comes off as average, due to a distracting subplot and the fact that the script could have been tighter.
Most notable about this film is the performance of Anton Diffring, a striking actor both in looks and persona, who worked in character roles in films in Britain, Germany, and in international films such as Fahrenheit 451. He died in 1989, possibly from AIDS. He gives a marvelous performance here and it's easily the best thing about the film. -
Doylenf21 November 2008The plot description at IMDb is wrong: it's not about a man who gets caught up in a string of killings. There's only one attempt at killing by DENNIS O'KEEFE--and that's all.
The ingredients are here for much more suspense than is actually generated. Trouble is the script is too long-winded before it gets to the point. The result is a flat effect, too much exposition before the plot gets down to serious business.
In the meantime, ANTON DIFFRING does a commendable job of playing a very polished, very assured contract killer who hopes, as a reward, to get ownership of one of the most valuable stamps in the world. It's an offer he can't resist. Seems that DENNIS O'KEEFE is intent on finding someone to kill his niece in an act of revenge after her sudden suicide death which can be traced to the "Mr. X" who must be destroyed.
The plot twist is a good one, but it takes too long to get to that point and by that time a viewer is apt to lose interest in the slow-paced story.
Summing up: Could have been scripted a lot tighter for more suspense. -
bluefish32122 November 2008This film showed up on TCM in November 2008 with no IMDb rating or comments. Personally I'd rate it around 6.3.
**very minor spoilers**
Lady of Vengeance is a small UK crime drama with some pleasant twists. It seems completely predictable at first... Dennis O'Keefe as William T. Marshall, a ruthless American publisher who abuses his staff, employees, and even those in his personal life. Eileen Elton is Melissa, his ward, who is desperate to escape his control and experience life. Her story is told in flashback, as the film opens with her demise. She runs off with Larry Shaw (Vernon Greeves), a well-known but low-life musician. Anton Diffring ably plays Karnak, a criminal genius and philatelist who Marshall tries to blackmail, then ultimately bribe, into aiding him in his vengeance scheme. Finally there's Ann Sears as Katie Whiteside, Marshall's long-suffering (and secretly smitten) personal secretary, who tries to save Marshall from himself.
There are some definite weaknesses to the film... stiff characters and dialogue, some very predictable moments, obvious limitations of the budget, very few sympathetic characters, and some unclear writing. It's not always obvious as to when we're in a flashback. The music is at times awkwardly cheerful. And worst of all is the pat, semi-happy ending, capped off with a deus ex machina, 'wages of fear'-esque bit of irony.
What does work is the twisting narrative. Tension is maintained by never knowing exactly what Marshall is up to, nor what he knows. And the true villain of the story shifts several times. There's even a minor taste of the 'Tales From the Crypt' ironic style. Not a bad diversion if you're a crime drama fan and have a tolerance for the limitations of B-movies. -
ulicknormanowen14 June 2022It's one of Dennis O'Keefe's latter days movies, but Anton Diffring steals the show from him ,in his portrayal of an almost mad philatelist who would do anything to get an invaluable stamp, a genuine item O'Keefe bought in an auction sale ; the stamp collector is so lured by this rare item he accepts to become a hired killer.
The title sets the tone: the lady seeks vengeance ; but as she threw herself under a train, it's her guardian who is asked (by a beyond the grave letter) to do the job.
The movie sometimes drags on (and the female part is insignificant) but the last fifteen minutes will keep you glued to your chair ; the lady seems to have risen from the dead to enjoy her vengeance ; the recorded tape adds to a fine suspense . -
bkoganbing21 November 2008When a character in any story is described as a ward that can mean just about anything. Dick Grayson was Bruce Wayne's ward in the Batman comics and there's much speculation there. Certainly Dennis O'Keefe has a more than healthy interest in Lady Of Venegeance.
The title itself is one big red herring because it's O'Keefe who's on a quest for vengeance over the suicide of his ward Eileen Elton. In fact that's how the film begins, Ms. Elton throwing herself in front of the London Express from some suburban station.
O'Keefe despite the pleadings of his girl Friday Ann Sears is off to find out who was responsible for her suicide. He first settles on jazz trombonist Vernon Greeves, but later finds out it was Anton Diffring, a continental crook and man about town. O'Keefe hatches an elaborate plan for vengeance.
Lady Of Vengeance was yet another of those British films who imported an American star of note so it would be released this side of the pond. There is absolutely no attempt at explanation as to why Dennis O'Keefe doesn't sound a bit British. He's the owner of a large newspaper chain.
It would mean nothing to audiences today, but the UK's biggest and most notable press tycoon back in the day was one Lord Beaverbrook who was originally Max Aitken from Canada. That someone who sounded like he was across the pond being a big publishing entrepreneur would have gone over with the British quite easily in 1957. Certainly O'Keefe's character is at the beginning of the film every bit as arrogant as Lord Beaverbrook's was reputed to be.
Lady Of Vengeance is hardly worthy O'Keefe's voyage across the sea to do. The film moves slowly and the ending is one terrible cop out. And who would have ever thought to cast Dennis O'Keefe as Lord Beaverbrook with a pretty ward. -
ksf-225 March 2018The film opens with a girl either jumping in front of a train, or was she pushed?? Getting to the bottom of the cause seems to be the plot of the story, from the British office of United Artists. And now we're in flashback! Dennis O'Keefe, Ann Sears, and Eileen Elton star in this story, as we follow their sad tale. SO much talking! did this start out as a play? Plays usually have lots of talking. Story kind of drags along. not exciting or suspense-full. The best scene in this shindig is the last 10 minutes. If you can sit through the rest of it. Story by Irve Tunick. He had worked together with director Burt Balaban many times. Balaban had many ties to hollywood! We all know his cousin, actor Bob Balaban, from Close Encounters, Best in Show and Mighty Wind. And Burt's own father had been president of Paramount, and owned movie theaters. Burt Balaban died quite young at age 43, but i haven't been able to find out the cause... doesn't seem to be listed anywhere. most odd.
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malcolmgsw18 February 2022Presumably this was made to go on the bottom half of a United Artists double bill.
Most of the film consists of talk. There is virtually no action. The title and much of the plot makes little sense. Dont go out of your way to watch this. -
clanciai14 June 2022There is actually one murder here, but you never learn anything about it, it is never explained, the murderer is anonymous and there is no reason for it. Indeed, the film starts directly with a startling death, but that is a suicide, and even that leaves you hanging in the air to start with - did she really die, and why did she do it? Well, it is explained later on, as she leaves behind a letter to her jealous guardian, who warned her earlier not to lead such a wanton life, and you are constantly led to believe her trombonist boy friend to be the reason for her misery, whom she commands her guardian to take revenge in for her death, but he isn't. The intrigue is more subtle than that.
Actually there is a murder being meticulously planned all the way through the film, but will it finally be committed, and on whom? That is the question that will keep up your interest until the final surprising end, but there will be no real murderer here except the anonymous one who is never known but who might be the final victim of his own wickedness.
This sounds like an enigmatic riddle indeed, and it is, the construction of the film and drama is an intentional puzzlement, and it gets more contrived all the way - nothing in it is really natural. It is a typical role for Dennis O'Keefe, who is notorious for his unsympathetic leads, and this role confirms the rule. He is a rich newspaper mogul who can afford whatever he pleases in roundabout measures, and he certainly makes his own case complicated here. The only decent and natural person in the film is his secretary, Ann Sears, who is the one who behaves humanly, and she is perhaps the one who saves the film. -
searchanddestroy-111 September 2023A very obscure US British production for sure, not widely known, but rather good to watch. I will prefer Anton Diffring here than a very predictable Dennis O'Keefe in a Alfred Hitchcock style like plot. Forgettable film, obviously but acceptable and fun to watch. Good period atmosphere, noir atmosphere but unfortunately a bit bland and flat. Burt Balaban gives here his first picture and the following ones will be far better: MURDER INC and MAD DOG COLL, two gangsters stories. So, this one is worth seeing if you can reach it and have nothing else to do, and also if you are a die hard movie collector or gem seeker. Excellent ending, far above average.