The corpses pile up without anyone being too upset in this light-hearted quickie shot in Ireland concerning the theft of a painting worth £55,000 (a lot of money in those days). For probably the first and last time Ray McAnally plays the dashing two-fisted hero, while continental cutie Catherine Feller drives about in a bubble car to accordion music supplied on the soundtrack by Wilfred Burns to make sure we know she's French.
13 Reviews
Art of murder
wilvram18 December 2020
One of several British 'B's to be filmed at Ireland's Ardmore studios around the turn of the Sixties, featuring an early leading film role for outstanding character actor Ray McAnally, with estimable contemporary Norman Rodway among the supporting cast. I had the art forger and murderer figured out pretty early on, but was still thrown by one twist toward the end, and it was worth watching. Can only echo the comment that it would have been better had the lovely Yvonne Buckingham been leading lady.
Murder In The Art World
boblipton26 January 2023
Art expert Robert Lepler tells gallery owner Mark Singleton that the old master he is about to deliver is a fine forgery. Someone switched it for the real one after Lepler authenticated it. He's working on a book on forgeries. He also tells Singleton that the latest painting he is touting is a forgery. Singleton pulls it, but Lepler dies in a hit-and-run, just as French journalist Catherine Feller shows up to interview him; she finds Inspector Ray McAnally crossing her path, as well as oil magnate and collector Jack Aranson, and restorer Michael Lucas.
It's a nice little script, fairly ambitious in its coverage of the hothouse world of art collection for a B movie, and always threatening to turn farcical when Miss Feller and McAnally cross paths. While director Max Vanel is good at covering the story and the visuals, the accents come and go, and a lot of the actors speak Received Pronunciation with what sounds to me like an Irish lilt. Some very smelly red herrings get dragged along the path, and it's a fair, although not too challenging mystery.
It's a nice little script, fairly ambitious in its coverage of the hothouse world of art collection for a B movie, and always threatening to turn farcical when Miss Feller and McAnally cross paths. While director Max Vanel is good at covering the story and the visuals, the accents come and go, and a lot of the actors speak Received Pronunciation with what sounds to me like an Irish lilt. Some very smelly red herrings get dragged along the path, and it's a fair, although not too challenging mystery.
A quota quickie!
JohnHowardReid1 February 2014
Warning: Spoilers
This mediocre support thriller has the advantage of competent direction by Max Varnel – including good use of locations – and a fairly interesting script by the mysterious H.E. Burden (possibly a pseudonym for Varnel himself). The movie also enjoys the presence of super-lovely Yvonne Buckingham (whom we see too little of) and Angela Douglas (in – alas! – an extremely fleeting role). Unfortunately, center stage, we have the less appealing and rather ill-attired Catherine Feller, who manages to become a fixture in front of the camera for a distressingly large portion of the action. Add to the cast: Marie Conmee as a lady at the Gallery and Charlie Byrne as her husband. Add to credits: Make-up: Gerry Fletcher; Production Manager: Ronald C. Liles; Assistant director: Harry Woof.
Minor Art Theft/Art Forgery Crime Drama; Not Bad, But Same Ol' Same Ol'
mmipyle6 January 2021
"Murder in Eden" (1961) is a very minor British crime drama about art forgery and art theft, something I've seen done much better, but, admittedly, so many times before that this version of the same ol' same ol' has me stymied as to being creative enough to write a review that's worthy of it. It's not a bad drama at all. At only 63 minutes it doesn't wear itself out, although my wife was getting antsy and wishing it were over so she could watch re-runs of "The Big Bang Theory". That probably says enough. Oh, Norman Rodway's in it, so that makes it worth the watch. It actually stars Ray McAnally and Catherine Feller. Feller's in it far too much, and, I'm very sorry to say, we noticed her overbite far more than her acting. McAnally, who ended up a great character actor in England, is very good, but his charisma in this for some reason tries to hide behind shadows and can't be seen very often. Such ghostly presence isn't conducive to promoting star material. Rather, it hides it like a star in the sky's hidden during the day by the sun. Here, the sun was hidden too. After all, this was black and white, and the two mixed together makes grey - my overall view of the film. One last thing, Yvonne Buckingham's in it. If she'd just traded places with Catherine Feller... But then, coulda, shoulda...it woulda...
Murder in Eden
CinemaSerf12 February 2023
When an acclaimed art critic announces that a famous painting adoring an Irish gallery is a forgery, it's owner "Arnold Woolf" (Mark Singleton) is outraged. Shortly afterwards, said critic has come a cropper in a car accident and it falls to "Insp. Sharkey" (Ray McAnally) to get to the bottom of the accident, a theft and a fraud. Add to the mix the presence of the chic "Geneviève" (Catherine Feller) who potters around in her tiny bubble car and we have just about enough ingredients to make this crime drama entirely... forgettable. Indeed, aside from some rather jaunty accordion music the whole thing is curiously dull. McAnally exudes no screen presence at all (on the basis of this rather lacklustre effort you would never had had him succeed in later life). The story is pretty pedestrian - though there is maybe the merest hint of a twist at the end - and though prettily enough shot leaves little to remember.
Fun British B noir with superior French accordion soundtrack
adrianovasconcelos10 February 2023
Very good Brit B, with Ray McAnally (better known to me as a car connoisseur on BBC Entertainment, and here acting none at all anally) playing an effective Inspector Sharkey, and Feller trying to pass off as a French girl with bulging eyes in a cute bubble car, whilst the villainous vehicle is a magnificent Bentley with a weird "Spirit of the Wolf" metallic figurehead... ah, the saucy sixties!
Sexy Yvonne Buckingham is a palace playing the sadly short part of Vicky Woolf. Exquisite face, figure and legs - to die for!
Competent photography (despite the obvious painted background in the final sequence), excellent and very melodious French accordion soundtrack and capable direction by Max Varnel (whom I do not know from Adam but whose father was apparently a French director of some standing), all neatly packed into an economical 61 minutes. Definitely worth watching!
Sexy Yvonne Buckingham is a palace playing the sadly short part of Vicky Woolf. Exquisite face, figure and legs - to die for!
Competent photography (despite the obvious painted background in the final sequence), excellent and very melodious French accordion soundtrack and capable direction by Max Varnel (whom I do not know from Adam but whose father was apparently a French director of some standing), all neatly packed into an economical 61 minutes. Definitely worth watching!
Murder in Eden
Prismark1029 June 2022
Murder in Eden is a quota quickie. A low budget B movie that has an early leading role for the great character actor Ray McAnally.
He plays Inspector Sharkey called into investigate the death of an art critic in a hit and run accident. The critic had earlier claimed that some paintings in an art exhibition were fake.
Sharkey finds himself paired up with a beautiful French journalist Geneviève Beaujean. It is not long before someone tries to run Sharkey over.
A brisk plot but it still feels padded. At least there is an interesting twist near the end but was Sharkey always one step headed?
This might be the only time McAnally had a leading role in a movie. Then again the film was shot in Ireland but is supposedly set in London.
He plays Inspector Sharkey called into investigate the death of an art critic in a hit and run accident. The critic had earlier claimed that some paintings in an art exhibition were fake.
Sharkey finds himself paired up with a beautiful French journalist Geneviève Beaujean. It is not long before someone tries to run Sharkey over.
A brisk plot but it still feels padded. At least there is an interesting twist near the end but was Sharkey always one step headed?
This might be the only time McAnally had a leading role in a movie. Then again the film was shot in Ireland but is supposedly set in London.
Slight But Still Kind of Fun
daoldiges15 March 2023
British B film with a run time of 61 minutes - let's give it a try. Fortunately, Murder in Eden didn't disappoint, at least not too much. It's actually kind of fun. The cast is all around solid and each plays their parts well, with most giving just the right touch. The story involving the art world, old masters, and forgery is fine, and even provides a little plot twist towards the end. The peppy score, cute little bubble car, all work together to give this little mystery just enough to keep the viewer engaged from beginning to end. I definitely think Murder in Eden is worth checking out if you tend to appreciate British mysteries, even those filmed in Ireland.
Lifeless
Leofwine_draca21 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
A ridiculously cheap crime flick from the early 1960s, MURDER IN EDEN is a film that misses the mark over and over again. A youthful Ray McAnally plays an inspector called in when an art critic is subject to a hit and run and dies; the rest of the film follows his attempt to find the murderer. Even at an hour in length this feels padded and long-winded, with long, random scenes of cheesy romance with a French girl who drives a bubble car and gets her own accordion theme music whenever she appears.
"O no, not the flashbulb fiend again"
hwg1957-102-26570425 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Inspector Sharkey investigates a couple of murders all connected with art fraud. Set in London, though filmed in Ireland, this is a routine mystery story mainly shot on interior sets but there is some nice location shooting. It's not that gripping and Ray McNally as Sharkey is ponderous. Better playing comes from Norman Rodway as the charming painting restorer Lucas and beauteous Yvonne Buckingham as Vicky Woolf, though the latter is not in it enough. Angela Douglas plays a beatnik but blink and you'll miss her. The music score by Wilfred Burns underlines the French-ness of one of the characters with an obvious accordion sound, several times. Yes, we get it, she's French. Her being called Geneviève Beaujean might possibly give it away too! A bearable movie but that's about it.
The French Connection
malcolmgsw23 February 2021
Lots of fun.
Sleepin_Dragon10 May 2024
After he denounces a valuable painting as a fraud, art critic Max Aaronson is killed in a bit and run accident, but who possibly could have done it?
Better than I was expecting, definitely better than some of the comments would suggest, it's a very pleasing mystery, one with a couple of decent twists and turns.
There's a good scuttle at the end, with some decent looking fisticuffs, not always a success at this point in time, but they work here.
If you're a fan of all things 1960's, like I am, then there'll be something here for you, even if the story isn't quite your thing, you'll enjoy the fashions, styles, music and of course Genevieve's fabulous bubble car.
Solid performances throughout, everyone plays their part well, Genevieve was a cracking character.
7/10.
Better than I was expecting, definitely better than some of the comments would suggest, it's a very pleasing mystery, one with a couple of decent twists and turns.
There's a good scuttle at the end, with some decent looking fisticuffs, not always a success at this point in time, but they work here.
If you're a fan of all things 1960's, like I am, then there'll be something here for you, even if the story isn't quite your thing, you'll enjoy the fashions, styles, music and of course Genevieve's fabulous bubble car.
Solid performances throughout, everyone plays their part well, Genevieve was a cracking character.
7/10.
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