Moviecut—Man Bait

George Brent, towards the end of his film career... it was mostly television after this. he's John Harman, manager of a british bookstore. Jeffrey (Peter Reynolds) starts to steal a book but is caught by Ruby (Diana Dors). they meet for a date, and the adventure begins. stolen kisses, blackmail, even death. such intrigue for a small town bookstore. sound quality is a little rough, but it's ok. Ruby is at the center of all this, but now the cops are involved. more deaths. more intrigue. this one is also titled "the Last Page"... since it takes place in a bookstore! the story is mostly solved by the characters and events... we see very little of the bobbies working on the case. Produced by Hammer Films, which made movies in the UK from the 1930s to the 1970s. Directed by Terence Fisher, who seems to have directed a whole lot of horror films, including Dracula and Frankensteins!

. . . since its plot revolves around a building full of musty tomes (being set in England, there are no colorful, good smelling modern volumes in sight). As any American well knows, Mr. Gutenberg's invention is prized on our side of the Pond above silver or gold--and the thicker the better. Every other yard sale over here features Reader's Digest Condensed Books, which are inevitably placed next to the change box on the pay table, as they are invariably by far the most valuable items being offered for purchase to discriminating buyers. Even though the London shop featured in MAN BAIT sports low-worth junk compared to the prized USA Digests or other American platinum fare, these trashy compilations prove enough to drive the relatively illiterate Brits to murder.

A very young Diana Dors, who looks very much like Margaret Lee, it's like they are twin sisters. She also looks like a young Marilyn Monroe. She's not bad in the role of the naive young woman, killed by the villain played by Peter Reynolds. George Brent and Marguerite Chapman are very good in two sensitive roles. The film is slower in the first half, becoming alert and thrilling towards the end. Terence Fisher, the later expert on horror films, did a good job in this film made early in his career.

This was my first introduction to Diana Dors. A simple but charming crime noir by Hammer. Starts out a tad slow but as soon as Diana enters the scene.. I was mesmerized. Really hope there will be a Blu-ray remaster of this as I'd cosider this this 'Peak' Diana Dors. More substantive films came later like Blonde Sinner (1956) and Tread Softly Stranger (1958) wow! but there's an innocence about her in this film that is unrivaled. A true classic!

MAN BAIT is an early thriller in the career of Hammer Films director Terence Fisher, the man best known for handling all of the studio's horror classics like THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN. Although virtually unknown today, I found this film to be a strong contender in the world of 1950s British B-cinema, a tight and compelling story of deceit, mistake, blackmail, and murder. The incredibly slimy Peter Reynolds plays a controlling blackmail who involves a young Diana Dors in a plot to fleece a bookshop owner, played sympathetically by George Brent. Inevitably, things don't go quite to plan. MAN BAIT has enough twists and turns to keep any viewer entertained and the cast all do sterling work to bring their characters to life. It's also a surprisingly dark and nihilistic story, plumbing the depths of mankind, with some really vicious moments. The ending had me on the edge of my seat.

...First thing he does is go to a bookstore. He tries to steal a book. That is how logical this movie is throughout. When we see shelves of books at a time, later, the books seem to be attached to each other. They're like room decorations some people buy in bulk. The proprietor of this bookstore is, of all people, George Brent. He had a long career. Though this is a noir of sorts and I therefore can't give it a bad rating, let's just say this is hardly a career highlight for him. Marguerite Chapman is attractive and convincing as his employee. She's stylish and pretty and comes off as nice. This is an early Diana Dors film. She's decent in it. She gets pulled into some very bad behavior. But she's not a truly terrible character. She's chronically late to work and weak willed. This isn't a memorable or distinguished film. But it isn't terrible, either. Nor does it hold to any formula. It's mediocre in a unique way.

Americans George Brent and Marguerite Chapman star in British noir thriller Man Bait released in this country by poverty row Lippert Pictures. But the Man Bait as described in the title is the lovely and voluptuous Diana Dors who was the United Kingdom's answer to Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield. Brent is the manager of a bookstore who has an invalid wife played by Isabel Dean. Clearly Brent is not having an itch scratched and when Diana Dors gives him that come hither glance who could blame the guy. But before the film is over Dean and Dors are both dead, Dors by an accidental strangulation and Brent is looking good for it. Fortunately Brent's fellow American Marguerite Chapman also works in this Peyton Place of a bookstore. She helps clear Brent and in turn gets her life saved in the climax. Nothing special about Man Bait unless you like full figured gals and they don't come more full figure than Diana Dors.