Lawbolisted Powerful

Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

BelSports This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Usamah Harvey The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

kapelusznik18 ****SPOILERS**** Based on the forgettable Winston Graham novel by the same name the movie has to do with the murder of violinist Elizabeth Rusman, Rosalie Cuuchley, who's body was found burned to a crisp to conceal her identity from the police by her murdered. The man arrested for Rusman's murder just happened to be the husband of the opera singer Philippa Shelly, Greta Gynt, who was back up ,in playing the violin, in the Oprah that she was playing in Nick Talbot, Hugh Williams. After Philippa accused Nick of making eyes at Rusman they later had a spat where she hit him over the head with a hair brush causing a deep gash in his skull. Not being or willing to explain the injury to the police to avoid embarrassment and being in the present with Rusman just before she was found murdered Nick is arrested and made to stand trial for her death.We have Nick's wife Philippa now checking out all the clues to Rusman's murder that leads her to the private music school in the boondocks that it's suspected Rushman spend the year before as a music teacher. With the principle of the school Sidney Flemming, Marius Goring, not that cooperative Philippa finds the missing photo-Of Rusman- of the year before graduation class that he hid from her. That turned out the piece of evidence that can connect him not only with Rusman as man and wife but the reason behind her murder.***MAJOR SPOILERS**** With Rusman's killer's identity, as her husband Sidney Felmming, exposed he attempts to throw Philippa off a speeding train, on her way back to London, but he's interrupted briefly by this deft man looking for the bathroom or "John" to relive himself who "herd" his confession to Philippa about doing his unfaithful wife Rusman in. That's because her divorcing him would ruin his career in both politics as well as the world of music. It turns out that Flemming now seeing the writing on the wall jumped off the train to his death before the police could arrest him. But it also had Philippa who was with him at the time of him jumping or being pushed off the speeding train in hot water by being arrested for his murder. That's until the deft man turned out to be the not so deft undercover Det. Sgt. Hawkins, Roland Adams, who's testimony totally exonerated Philippa of Flemmings murder!

MartinHafer If you are watching a mystery or suspense film, the most important element is the finale--the portion where you learn the truth. Unfortunately, the picture falls apart a bit there...just a bit.When the film begins, a man's old girlfriend shows up years later. By now, he's married and his wife is not exactly thrilled he was talking to this lady. But the husband was innocent of anything...just saying hello to a woman who called to him. Later, at home, the wife continues to pester him about the lady...good-naturedly at first. But when it turns into a nasty row, he leaves. Soon, the husband is getting a head wound sewn up--from the object the wife threw at him during the argument! But his troubles have only just begun, however, as the woman he was talking to at the beginning of the film is dead. Someone murdered her and all the circumstantial evidence points to him! So, it's up to the wife to track down some leads...perhaps she can shed light on what really happened. Unfortunately, she might also find the real murderer...and then what's she to do?!The film was very good and taut. My only problem is that during the big confrontation scene on the train at the end, the woman NEVER yelled for help and knew her life was in danger. Now I have heard British folks are quite polite...but no one is THAT polite! Still, a snappy little film and one worth seeing. Just a shame the end wasn't written a bit more tightly.

robert-temple-1 This is a superb example of a high-calibre British postwar murder mystery. It was the first film ever directed by Ronnie Neame, who is mostly famous for his classics 'Tunes of Glory' (1960) and 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie' (1969). The cinematography by Guy Green (later a director) is inspired and intensely expressionist in the German manner. Neame really shows what a brilliant director he was, not only coaxing excellent performances out of his actors, but keeping the pace and the tension despite the fact that the identity of the murderer is revealed very early. Francis L. Sullivan is, as usual, hair-raising as the prosecuting counsel, although his role should have been more prominent if the film had not been so short at only 76 minutes. (One suspects things were cut out before release, as the buildup of Sullivan really does fizzle out without explanation.) The scenes towards the end of the film really do become incredibly menacing and powerful, as Marius Goring, who plays the murderer in an eerie and intense style, can be seen calculating what he must do next, and sets about it with the methodical determination of a man who now has nothing to lose. Hugh Williams is excellent as the rather formal husband of Greta Gynt, an equally formal wife who is an opera star. It is difficult for such people to cope with real situations of danger, as their behaviour is so mannered, even in their most private moments, that quick thinking and quick action are impossibilities for them, what with all the thawing out they have to do first, not to mention the necessity of changing for dinner, straightening the black tie, and making sure every hair is in place. Sometimes when your life is in danger, such formalities can be rather impeding! But that is part of the irony of this tale, of which a subliminal motif is: things like that don't happen to people like us. In this film, the doomed victim is Rosalie Crutchley, who really was a fascinating wench at that early age, in fact, someone to whom you can imagine almost anything could happen, and it does.

Niels Solberg Minor classic ! "Take My life" is one of the better films of its era in British film making. A Rank Film that catched the attention of Hollywood and brought its leading actress Greta Gynt to the film capitol of the world. The merits of "Take My Life" is in its fast paced and skillfully directed hands of Ronald Neame. The feeling of suspense is carefully distributed throughout the film via a dramatic developement that never leavs you unexcited or bored. The actors are controlled and focused. One can tell that the actors enjoyed the challenge of a script that required high acting skills to pull off. And The Rank Studioes gathered their best talents to make the film a minor classic of British film-noire style. "Take my Life" was widly distributed all over the world and is remembered as Greta Gynts best liked film, both by her and her fans. So take a risk with this film if you want to spend an evening (or day) of cinemagic style and suspense. You wont walk off dissapointed if you are lover of vintage films