The Tenth Man (1936 film)

The Tenth Man is a 1936 British drama film directed by Brian Desmond Hurst and starring John Davis Lodge, Antoinette Cellier and Athole Stewart. It is based on the play The Tenth Man by W. Somerset Maugham.^[1]

The Tenth Man
Opening title
Directed by	Brian Desmond Hurst
Written by	Dudley Lesley Marjorie Deans Jack Davies Geoffrey Kerr
Based on	play The Tenth Man by W. Somerset Maugham
Produced by	Walter C. Mycroft
Starring	John Davis Lodge Antoinette Cellier Athole Stewart
Cinematography	Walter J. Harvey
Edited by	James Corbett
Music by	Harry Acres (uncredited)
Production company	British International Pictures
Distributed by	Wardour Films (UK)
Release date	12 August 1936 (1936-08-12) (London)
Running time	68 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Plot

George Winter (John Lodge) is a self-made businessman and M.P., who lets nothing stand in the way of his ambition, believing that nine out of ten men are rogues or fools. Whenever Winter meets a rival who can't be bought, he destroys them through methods both legal and underhand. His wife Catherine (Antoinette Cellier) is intent on divorce, but with the scandal potentially damaging to his election campaign, Winter blackmails her into staying with him. Then, Winter meets his 'tenth man': Jim Ford (Clifford Evans), a victim who refuses to be silenced by threat or bribery, who has the power to expose one of Winter's shady gold mine deals, and bring his house of cards crashing down.

Cast

• John Davis Lodge as George Winter
• Antoinette Cellier as Catherine Winter
• Athole Stewart as Lord Etchingham
• Clifford Evans as Ford
• Iris Hoey as Lady Etchingham
• Aileen Marson as Anne Echingham
• Frank Cochrane as Bennett
• George Graves as Colonel Trent
• Bruce Lester as Edward O'Donnell
• Barry Sinclair as Robert Colby
• Antony Holles as Swalescliffe
• Aubrey Mallalieu as Bank Manager

Critical reception

Writing for The Spectator in 1936, Graham Greene gave the film a good review, lauding director Hurst for his "well-directed film" and noting that "there was nothing in Mr Hurst's two previous films, Riders to the Sea and Ourselves Alone, to show him capable of these humorous and satirical political sequences, and the very fine melodramatic close". Greene's only complaint was directed to the acting of actor Lodge whose performance appeared stiff.^[2]

TV Guide gave the film two out of five stars, calling it "An intriguing drama.... Cleverly written from a play by W. Somerset Maugham."^[3]