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Dusty Ermine
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Wikipedia article
'Dusty Ermine' is a 1936 British crime film directed by Bernard Vorhaus and starring Anthony Bushell, Jane Baxter and Ronald Squire. In the United States it was released under the alternative title 'Hideout in the Alps'. It was based on the play of the same title by Neil Grant.
Plot
After being released from prison Jim Kent, a leading forger, is approached by an international counterfeiting organisation. He rejects their offer of employment as he intends to go straight, but when he discovers that his nephew is now working for the outfit he travels to Switzerland to try to help him out. An ambitious young detective from Scotland Yard is also on the trail of the forgery ring, and mistakenly comes to the conclusion that Jim Kent is still working as a master counterfeiter.
Cast
* Anthony Bushell as Detective Inspector Forsythe
* Jane Baxter as Linda Kent
* Ronald Squire as Jim Kent
* Arthur Macrae as Gilbert Kent
* Margaret Rutherford as Evelyn Summers
* Austin Trevor as Swiss Hotelier-Gang Leader
* Davina Craig as Goldie, the maid
* Athole Stewart as Mr. Kent
* Katie Johnson as Emily Kent
* Felix Aylmer as Police Commissioner
* Hal Gordon as Detective Sergeant Helmsley
* George Merritt as Police constable
* Wally Patch as Thug
Production
The film was produced by Julius Hagen, the owner of a film production company based around Twickenham Studios. The film was shot at one of his other studios, J.H. Studios at Elstree, and also included extensive location filming in the Alps.Richards, p. 194 It was directed by Vorhaus who had worked on earlier films for the company. Vorhaus was so impressed by the performance of Margaret Rutherford in a theatre production he saw her in, that he insisted on casting her in the film. He added a new comic relief role to the original play especially for her.Richards, p. 181, 194 The film's art direction was by Andrew Mazzei.
Hagen had an ambitious programme of films for 1936, but his failure to secure effective distribution led to financial problems and the collapse of his company the following year during the Slump of 1937.Richards, p. 50-55 Vorhaus directed one further British film, 'Cotton Queen', before returning to America.
In the forgers' lair the printing presses shown are all made by the Adana company of Twickenham and completely unsuitable for the production of currency notes. Adana was based in Twickenham and the film was released through Twickenham Film Distributors, so there would appear to be a local link.
References
Bibliography
* Low, Rachael. 'History of the British Film: Filmmaking in 1930s Britain'. George Allen & Unwin, 1985
* Richards, Jeffrey (ed.). 'The Unknown Thirties: An Alternative History of the British Cinema, 1929-1939'. I.B. Tauris & Co, 2000.
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