Inspector Hornleigh
Cast & Crew
Eugene Forde
Gordon Harker
Alastair Sim
Miki Hood
Wally Patch
Steve Geray
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
The murder of hotel porter James Henreid brings Inspector Hornleigh of Scotland Yard and his assistant, Sergeant Bingham, to investigate the case. Hornleigh's only clue is Henreid's missing suitcase, which he soon finds at the bottom of the river. Inside the case, Hornleigh discovers the murder weapon--a leather worker's knife--and the budget bag belonging to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Upon returning the bag to the Exchequer, Hornleigh discovers that the bag has been switched so that the budget plans could be copied. Hornleigh's secretary, Peter Dench, then takes the Inspector to the Pheasant Inn, the site of the switch. At the inn, Hornleigh meets the owner, Ann Gordon, her brother Bill, the manager Wittens, the porter, Alfred Cooper, and guest Sam Holt, who claims that he is in the textile business. Hornleigh also learns that Henreid was a porter at the inn and, after questioning everyone present, announces that Henreid had switched the bags to use the figures in stock manipulation, but was not alone in his scheme. Wittens then confides to the Inspector that Dench had asked him to recommend a leather worker, but when Hornleigh goes to question the worker, he finds that the man has been murdered. On his body, they discover some mutilated bank notes which lead them to financier Michael Kavanos, who denies any involvement with the dead men. After Hornleigh leaves, Bill Gordon visits Kavanos and demands money so that he can leave town, and later that night, Kavanos pays a visit to Gordon to insure his departure. The two argue, and after Kavanos leaves, Ann finds that her brother has been murdered. Hornleigh is called to the inn, where Kavanos accuses Dent of the murder, and after interrogating all the suspects, he announces that Cooper, the porter, had discovered Henreid's plan and had killed him, then the leather worker and finally Gordon. Cooper then attempts to escape, but Hornleigh and Sergeant Bingham apprehend him and solve the case.
Director
Eugene Forde
Cast
Gordon Harker
Alastair Sim
Miki Hood
Wally Patch
Steve Geray
Edward Underdown
Hugh Williams
Gibb Mclaughlin
Ronald Adam
Eliot Makeham
Crew
Leslie F. Baker
John Bryan
Bretton Byrd
James B. Clark
Gerald Elliott
W. Lindop
Douglas Robertson
William Royle
Philip Tannura
Bryan Wallace
Derick Williams
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
According to a news item in Hollywood Reporter, Fox released this film in England before deciding to release it in the United States and Canada. This was the first film in Fox's "Inspector Hornleigh" series that featured Gordon Harker as "Inspector Hornleigh" and Alastair Sim as his assistant "Sergeant Bingham." The series, based on characters created for a BBC radio series, consisted of six films. The 1941 film Night Mail was the last in the series.
