Richard Carling (Karel Stepanek) is a rather scummy businessman living in a large mansion near London. One night his business partner Jack Kurton (Hubert Gregg) arrives to see him on a company matter. Carling is trying to do something shady to his naïve partner, so he sends him to see his attorney, Mr. Horobin (David Keir) allegedly concerning some papers that need Carling’s signature.
Soon after that Carling is visited by a mobster named James Oliver (John Slater). The table is set for dinner and Oliver sees that Carling is expecting female company. An altercation happens. In the morning a dead body is found, its face mutilated. The body is tentatively identified as Richard Carling. Inspector Mallory (Guy Middleton) is assigned to the case.
Vera Kurton (Eleanor Summerfield) is Jack Kurton’s wife. Vera, not expecting her husband home for another day, has been out all night. She convinces her friends, Steffy and Bill Millington (Sonia Dresdel and Colin Gordon) to tell her husband that she had stayed with them the night before stating that she was nervous being alone. They agree to cover for her. When the police show up to question everyone, they are stuck with their alibis. All of them are acting suspicious.
A mental patient named Hewson (Michael Martin Harvey) is released from the local institution. Hewson had been sent to the institution by Carling who was in cahoots with an unscrupulous doctor, Dr. Venner (Arthur Denton). Now that he is out, Hewson is also looking for Carling.
Just about everyone associated with Carling has a reason to kill him. Who actually did the deed is what Inspector Mallory must unravel. His investigation turns up a lot more than just who had reason to kill Carling.
“The Third Visitor” AKA “The Tertiary Caller” was released in 1951 and was directed by Maurice Elvey. It is a British crime thriller mystery and a British noir film with gothic elements. It is based on a play of the same name by Gerald Anstruther.
This movie was quite confusing for a long time. I was ready to put it in the really bad column but by the end of it I changed my mind. Several twists and turns in the story added several layers that brought together many of the loose ends. All the seemingly random bits and pieces of the film suddenly come into focus. Once everything is tied together the film becomes a lot more interesting. It ended up being a very satisfying watch.