The Third Visitor (1951)

The Third Visitor (1951)

„The Third Visitor“ is a 1951 film-noir mystery crime film directed by Maurice Elvey. The screenplay by Gerald Anstruther and David Evans is based on a play by Anstruther.

In NYC, recently released crook James C. „Jim” Oliver comes across a magazine photo of London-dwelling playboy and businessman of dubious reputation, Mr. Richard Carling. Jim books a transatlantic flight, arrives at Carling’s Hampstead home and tells him he’s come for a little „compensation.”

Next morning, Carling’s business partner Jack Kurton arrives for an appointment, and there’s no answer. Jack and the local beat bobby breaks in and discovers a scene of brutal murder.

After Inspector Mallory of the Yard and his sidekick, Sergeant Horton, have arrived on the scene, Jack is able to identify the battered corpse as that of Carling.

Police Inspector Mallory investigates the murder. Suspects include the witch-like Steffy Millington and her daffy hubby, Bill Millington; Dresdel’s friend, a sour-looking blonde, Vera Kurton, and her pleasantly bland husband, Jack Kurton; and a mystery figure as well, the strangely pathetic Hewson, a builder who once did some work on Carling’s house. The rumor, according to Horton, is that Carling had Hewson build a secret chamber somewhere in the house and then tried to brick him up alive in it.

Jack gets home to find that his wife Vera has clearly been out all night. He finally locates her at the flat of their friends Steffy and Bill Millington. Vera, however, hasn’t spent the night with the Millingtons, as she claims. She has persuaded them to lie to back up her story that she did. In fact, she arrived mere minutes before Jack phoned them.

Evidence emerges that Oliver is the killer, the deed done with a large, heavy, knobbly ornament from the mantelpiece.

Mallory discovers that Vera and the Millingtons are lying about her whereabouts, but they maintain the pretense until Vera breaks down and tells Jack the truth. She’s spent a night of sin, yes, but it wasn’t the sin we’ve all been assuming.

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