Meet Mr. Callaghan

For the Les Paul song from the film, see Meet Mister Callaghan.

Meet Mr. Callaghan is a 1954 British crime drama film directed by Charles Saunders and starring Derrick De Marney and Adrienne Corri.^[1][2] The screenplay was by Brock Williams, based on the 1952 play of the same name, adapted for the stage by Gerald Verner from Peter Cheyney's 1938 novel The Urgent Hangman.

Meet Mr. Callaghan
British quad poster
Directed by	Charles Saunders
Screenplay by	Brock Williams
Based on	The Urgent Hangman by Peter Cheyney Meet Mr. Callaghan by Gerald Verner
Produced by	Guido Coen Derrick De Marney W.A. Smith
Starring	Derrick De Marney Adrienne Corri Delphi Lawrence Belinda Lee
Cinematography	Harry Waxman
Edited by	Jack Slade
Music by	Eric Spear
Production company	Pinnacle Productions
Distributed by	Eros Films
Release date	June 1954 (1954-06) (UK)
Running time	88 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Co-producer and star De Marney had directed the stage version at the Garrick Theatre in 1952, which starred his brother Terence as private eye Slim Callaghan. Derrick played this role in the film.^[3][4]

Plot

Down at heel private detective Slim Callaghan is hired by young socialite Cynthis Meraulton to investigate other family members after her rich stepfather changes his will in her favour. She suspects he will be killed and the new will destroyed. When her stepfather is subsequently murdered, suspicion falls on Cynthis.

Cast

• Derrick De Marney as Slim Callaghan
• Harriette Johns as Cynthis Meraulton
• Adrienne Corri as Mayola
• Delphi Lawrence as Effie
• Trevor Reid as Inspector Gringall
• Belinda Lee as Jenny Appleby
• Larry Burns as Darky
• Peter Neil as William Meraulton
• John Longden as Jeremy Meraulton
• Roger Williams as Bellamy Meraulton
• Frank Henderson as Paul Meraulton
• Frank Sieman as Sergeant Fields
• Michael Partridge as Jengel
• Howard Douglas as Tweest
• John Ainsworth as P.C. Masters
• Michael Balfour as coffee stallkeeper
• Robert Adair as August Meraulton

Production

Filming took place at Nettleford Studios in September 1953.^[5][6]

It was the second film from Belinda Lee.^[7]

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin said the "transference" from stage to screen "has been made without much imagination. The involved plot is helped along by a few barbed lines but Derrick de Marney fails to make a sympathetic hero out of a private detective who stoops to robbery, blackmail and bribery in his investigations."^[8]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Sort of street-level Thin Man is effective thick ear, short on charm."^[9]

TV Guide wrote, "Mystery programmer has a couple of good moments, but little else."^[10]