Appointment with Crime

The good Doctor himself, William Hartnell, was the weak link in this amusing but only mildly interesting British crime Noir.

Had a lot of great ideas for a crime story, but execution was a bit pale. Felt the creativity out-powered the lightweight execution, but I can easily understand why people wouldn't get into Appointment with Crime (1946). Got to feel bad about the poor sucker's hands, though.

Early William Hartnell hardboiled cat-and-mouse detective story. Hartnell plays a man who is trying to get revenge for being abandoned on a job he was convinced was a snap. Very different from The Doctor.

A dark and gritty entry into the "spiv cycle" series of British crime dramas of the 1940s. The shadowy cinematography gives the whole thing a noirish feel, but it's let down by an unremarkable plot and some bad editing and continuity decisions (things you rarely notice unless they're wrong). William Hartnell gives a particularly wooden performance in the lead role, although Herbert Lom (as ever) is good value as the - ahem - "flamboyant" mob boss.