The 20 Questions Murder Mystery
Directed byPaul L. Stein
Screenplay by
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography
Edited byGerald Thomas
Music byHans May
Production
companies
Release date
  • 23 January 1950 (1950-01-23)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The Twenty Questions Murder Mystery, also known as Murder on the Air, is a 1950 British second feature[1] comedy crime film directed by Paul L. Stein and starring Robert Beatty, Rona Anderson, and Clifford Evans.[2] The film is an unusual hybrid: the Twenty Questions sections take place in a studio recording of the BBC radio programme with the regular panellists and presenter. This is threaded into the plot as the clues trigger a series of murders, each linked to the clue.

Plot

A queue of adults wait to enter the Paris cinema. However, the cinema does not show movies: it is a BBC studio used for radio recordings and broadcasts.

Inside the Twenty Questions panel show is being recorded in front of the audience, and is broadcast live.

The first item to be guessed is "pig's ear" and this raises no issues. However, the second item to be guessed is "Rikitikitavi", the short story by Rudyard Kipling. The panel reach the correct answer on the final attempt.

Meanwhile, a wife finds her husband, Frederick Tavey, but known as Ricky Tavey, dead. He is found hanged and it is unclear if he has committed suicide.

Various press outlets pick up the odd coincidence. Rival reporters Bob and Mary try to unravel the mystery, while starting a romance.

Twenty Questions then tries to guess the Hanging Judge. This results in a judge being murdered. There appears a slight link between the murders, over and above the Twenty Questions issue. Both victims are linked to colonial India. The judge has an Indian manservant, Mohammed Ali, who becomes the prime suspect.

Whilst Mary investigates the judge's home, a fire starts and she is locked in a room and almost killed. Potential evidence is destroyed in the fire.

Twenty Questions starts their final 60 second "quickie". The word is "charlatan" and is again correctly guessed. A note has been left with the panel which appears to be another warning. The panel concludes the clue links to "Rosemary is for Remembrance" (a line from Shakespeare) from this they deduce it points to memory, and by sonance to Emery.

In Emery's house, Ali arrives at the French doors and Emery lets him in. They have a heated discussion in Hindustani. Later Emery is strangled thuggee style by someone.

The panellists next discuss a written clue in private: the two words seem to be "woodcock" and "gin". These seem to link to a general who has served in India and police are sent to protect him as he plays golf.

Meanwhile, Harmon goes to Mary and tells her the clue means her, not the general, linking to her surname: Game. She initially laughs. Bob tries to phone her but she is not allowed to answer. Harmon explains his links to India and his worship of Kali. He pulls out a rope to strangle her, just as Bob arrives. He jumps out of the window rather than be arrested.

In the Twenty Questions studio, Bob and Mary hold hands in the audience.

Cast

A number of the cast play themselves as members of the Twenty Questions panel.

Critical response

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Polished if easy-to-solve mystery with novel background."[3]

Leslie Halliwell said: "Somewhat heavy comedy mystery with interest arising from the broadcasting background."[4]

References

  1. ↑ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 41. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
  2. ↑ "The Twenty Questions Murder Mystery". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  3. ↑ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 255. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.
  4. ↑ Halliwell, Leslie (1989). Halliwell's Film Guide (7th ed.). London: Paladin. p. 1057. ISBN 0586088946.
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