The Dark Man

Sharing an accidental-murder-witness story premise with noirs like Shock (1946), The Window (1949), Witness to Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954), and Witness in the City (1959), Jeffrey Dell’s The Dark Man stars Natasha Parry as Molly Lester, an actress who happens to stumble on a murder scene while cycling through the countryside. The murderer (Maxwell Reed), known only as the Dark Man, catches a glimpse of Molly before she moves on, which means she now must be eliminated too. Assigned to lead the murder investigation, Inspector Viner (Edward Underdown) is immediately attracted to Molly, who’s been offered round-the-clock witness protection, so the two begin dating. For a relatively small film, the suspense is crafted with sophistication; one scene during which Molly is slowly abandoned on the beach while the Dark Man stares from a distance rivals the best of Hitchcock. Another highlight is Molly’s return home to a pitch-black apartment where her neighbors try to coax her to join their party next door while the killer waits inside. Clifford’s score is minimal, leaving every moment of suspense in total silence, and Cross’s camera deftly captures the action, including plentiful wide shots and panoramas of wide-open space, particularly during the final chase through a desolate landscape by the water.