Green for Danger
(1946)
Generally identified as a Launder and
Gilliat comedy, the only clowning here comes from leading man Alastair Sim; the
murder plot is played “dead” straight. But Sim is such a delightfully
eccentric, invasive presence that its misrepresentation is entirely
understandable. And that’s in spite of his Inspector Cockrill not appearing
until more than half an hour into the proceedings (only Sim’s voiceover
announces his involvement).
The screenplay was adapted from Christianna
Brand’s novel of the same name, one of seven to feature the Inspector. Set
around a rural hospital in 1944, foul play is suggested by Sister Bates (Judy
Campbell) after a postman (Will Hay regular Moore Marriott) dies on the
operating table. When Sister Bates is killed, Inspector Cockrill is summoned
and immediately focuses his suspicions on the doctors and nurses attending at
the initial death. These include Dr, Barnes (Trevor Howard), Mr. Eden (Leo
Glenn), Nurse Linley (Sally Gray), Nurse Woods (Megs Jenkins) and Nurse Sanson
(Rosamund John).
Naturally, there is elaborate misdirection
and numerous red herrings; the Inspector-free opening section ensures that the Agatha
Christie-esque melodrama of the suspects’ obsessions and indiscretions are
involving in and of themselves, helped by a strong cast. Howard’s Barnes is
jealous with a shady past, Glenn gets to play up the oily ladies’ man, while
Jenkins’ broad affability instantly invites closer scrutiny. But this is Sim’s
show, and his gleefully inappropriate attitude to his investigation is
frequently hilarious. His irreverence is on display as soon as he arrives at
the hospital. Asked what’s wrong, he responds, “Just the usual slight discomfort after meals”.
Whether he’s swiveling on a chair with
childish delight, appearing out of the darkness to complete Eden’s quotation
from Troilus and Cressida (as he woos
Nurse Linley) and then pushing back a shrub to reveal the spying Barnes, or
pulling up a chair for a grandstand seat as Eden and Barnes roll around the
floor scrapping, Sim’s behaviour is endearingly unpredictable. Asked who would
want to murder the postman, he replies “My
dear young lady, how on Earth should I know? I’ve only just got here”. When
Dr. Barnes expresses concern over the attention of the Press, Cockrill
responds, “I don’t mind; they always give
me a good write-up”.
So it comes as something of a surprise that
Cockrill’s confidence leads to a conclusion exposing his fallibility (“In view of my failure - correction, comparative failure -
I feel that I have no alternative but to offer you, sir, my resignation, in the
sincere hope that you will not accept it."), albeit one that
doesn’t seem to put him on the back foot for too long, as the quote suggests.
As much fun as the film is, the Inspector’s plan to expose the criminal is an
enormous stretch for a number of reasons – not least the danger he puts one individual
in. But I’ll wager you won’t guess the murderer (I couldn’t remember, and I’ve
seen the picture several times before).
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