Home | Movies By Year | Movies from 1962
Serena (1962 film)
Buy Serena (1962 film) now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the movie. And once you've experienced the movie, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
'Serena' is a 1962 black-and-white, British B film crime thriller directed by Peter Maxwell and stars Patrick Holt, Emrys Jones and Honor Blackman. The title of the film is the name of one of the characters, Serena Vaughan, who may have figured in a murder.[https://web.archive.org/web/20090116060059/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/65372 "Film details: 'Serena (1962)."] 'British Film Institute'. Retrieved: 29 August 2016. 'Serena' was part of a double bill and was later released to the home media market with 'Impact' (1963), also directed by Peter Maxwell.[https://www.amazon.com/Impact-Serena-DVD/dp/B005GV6PIY "DVD: Impact/Serena."] 'Amazon'. Retrieved: 29 August 2016.
Plot
Detective Chief Inspector Gregory (Patrick Holt) from Scotland Yard, and his partner, Sergeant Conway (Bruce Beeby), are called in to investigate the shotgun murder of a woman at Rosehill Cottage, a remote Surrey cottage. The victim appears to be Ann Rogers (Honor Blackman), the wife of womanising artist Howard Rogers (Emrys Jones). Her face, however, is so badly disfigured by the two shotgun blasts, it is hard to be sure of her identity. Rogers looks for a birthmark that would positively prove the body belongs to his wife, but it is not there.
At first, Gregory had considered Rogers as the chief suspect, but his alibi proves he is innocent. When Ann suddenly shows up, the identity of the murdered woman may rest on her friend, Claire Matthews, who is missing. A search for both the artist's mistress, Serena Vaughan, and the missing woman, intensifies, but Ann's motivations are also suspect. One of the women may know the truth.
Cast
* Patrick Holt as Inspector Gregory
* Emrys Jones as Howard Rogers
* Honor Blackman as Ann Rogers
* Bruce Beeby as Sergeant Conway
* John Horsley as Mr. Fisher
* Robert Perceval as Bank Manager
* Wally Patch as Barman
* Gerry Duggan as Norman Cole
* Peter Glaze as Station Booking Clerk
* Howard Greene as River Police Sergeant
* Reginald Hearne as Doctor
* Lawrence James as Uniformed Constable
* Benedicta Leigh as Policewoman Scott
* Barry Linehan as Forensic Chemist
* Bill Mills as Photographer
* Frank Pettitt as Fred
* Colin Rix as Plainclothes Detective
* Raymond Smith as River Police Constable
* Pat Shaw as Uniformed Policewoman
Production
Principal photography on 'Serena' took place on location in Surrey, and at Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England.[http://www.britmovie.co.uk/films/Serena_1962 "Film: 'Serens'."] 'britmovie.co.uk', 2016. Retrieved: 29 August 2016.
Critical reception
'TV Guide' gave 'Serena' two out of five stars, calling it a "Basic programmer with a plot more clever than most";[http://www.tvguide.com/movies/serena/review/117245/ "Review: 'Serena'."] 'TV Guide'. Retrieved: 29 August 2016. while the 'Radio Times' rated it three out of five stars, and wrote, "Rising well above the quota-quickie average, this entertaining little whodunnit shoehorns an extravagant amount of plot into its short running time. Directed at a fair lick by Peter Maxwell";Parkinson, David. [http://www.radiotimes.com/film/cpgmg/serena "Review: 'Serena'."] 'RadioTimes'. Retrieved: 29 August 2016. and 'Allmovie' called the film an "interesting mystery."Brennan, Sandra. [http://www.allmovie.com/movie/serena-v109485 "Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related: 'Serena; (1962)."] 'AllMovie'. Retrieved: 29 August 2016.
In a 2004 review, John Pym described 'Serena' as "stagey" and, "(a)... not very taxing mystery."Pym 2004, p. 1055.
References
Notes
Bibliography
* Pym, John, ed. 'Time Out Film Guide'. London: Time Out Guides Limited, 2004. .
Buy Serena (1962 film) now from Amazon
<-- Return to movies from 1962