The Black Glove (1954) User Reviews

Black Glove wears well

[FilmFlaneur · 7/10 · 16 May 2009]

Taking advantage of arrangements favoured by the UK's Eady levy (a state film subsidy established after the war) in 1950, American producer Robert Lippert formed a business alliance with Hammer studios. Under the agreement, Lippert would provide American acting talent - frequently shop-worn stars or just supporting actors who fancied a profitable trip out of the country - while Hammer would supply the rest of the cast and the production facilities. Together they would split the profits. Famous for his concern with the bottom line, Lippert produced over 140 films between 1946 and 1955, characteristically genre pieces such as I Shot Jesse James or Rocketship XM. For the British deal, most of the films were noir-ish thrillers. None were entirely of the first rank, but they remain never less than entertaining, and include THE BLACK GLOVE.

The presence of Alex Nichol and the trumpet playing of Kenny Ball somewhat compensate for weaknesses elsewhere in The Black Glove (aka: Face The Music, 1953) a thriller set in a London world of basement jazz clubs, recording studios and dingy flats. The genial Nichol, perhaps best remembered today for his role as the rancher's crazed son in The Man From Laramie (1955), plays hero James Bradley, a musician who picks up a singer after a London concert, only for her to be murdered shortly after. Following the familiar pattern, Bradley has to discover the real killer and clear himself of suspicion. Nichol gives a likable performance as the trumpet player in a film that includes an archetypal noir voice-over as well as Kenny Ball's frequently soulful contribution on brass, which both add a good deal to the atmosphere. The opening, mutual attraction between Bradley and victim Maxine, played out over music, is especially fine. The intensity between kindred spirits recalls the first meeting in Gun Crazy (1950) while their later scenes just after, expressing their growing romance in cynical rhyming couplets ("Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, show me a woman a man can trust," etc), is also memorable. Bradley's continuous, professed lack of sleep adds to the dream-like mood of the piece. Maxine's sister Barbara works in Soho's Underground Club - "the sort of place you live horizontally or not at all" and most of the clues are found in and around the music produced there. The end of the film is more disappointing, a curious throwback to traditional whodunits, with principal suspects and interested police gathered together in a single room, so that the killer can be progressively unmasked. It's a clumsy and unconvincing narrative device. Director Fisher would later be associated with many of Hammer's celebrated Gothic horror releases.

This didn't look like a safe place to take your mother.

[hitchcockthelegend · 6/10 · 15 August 2012]

The Black Glove (AKA: Face the Music) is directed by Terence Fisher and adapted to screenplay by Ernest Borneman from his own novel Face the Music. It stars Alex Nicol, Eleanor Summerfield, John Salew, Paul Carpenter and Geoffrey Keen. Out of Hammer Film Productions, music is by Ivor Stanley and Kenny Baker, and cinematography by Jimmy Harvey.

Brad Bradley (Nicol) is an American trumpet player in London who finds himself suspected of murdering a lady blues singer. Bogged down by lack of sleep and with only minor clues to work from, Bradley trawls the basement Jazz clubs of the city trying to clear his name.

I felt like yesterday's corpse when I finally got away that night.

A murder mystery with shades of noir, The Black Glove is a decent viewing experience for the most part but one that is ultimately undone by a weak finale. Clues are followed, mystery element is strong, but the writer cheats a bit as the reveal plays out in Hercule Poirot fashion. The atmosphere and tone of the picture is impressive, we are in a world of low level music bars and one bed apartments, London's bright lights serving as the backdrop as Brad Bradley goes sleuth. He narrates as well, often providing us viewers with some wry or grizzled observations, the dialogue sharp and a bonus aspect in the film. The music is snazzy, with Kenny Baker and his Dozen providing the backbone for this music set drama, the trumpet sections particularly enjoyable. Most of the film is lighted to provide shadows, but one pre-crime shot involving street lamps only makes us lament there wasn't more of this type of photography within. Cast are good enough, especially the likable Nicol, and direction from Fisher, who would go on to become a legend amongst Hammer Horror fans, is safe and assured. 6/10

Alex Nicol is forced to face the music, but the film is somewhat disappointing!

[JohnHowardReid · 7/10 · 17 October 2017]

Terence Fisher directed the 1954 "The Black Glove" (British title: "Face the Music") for Hammer in which Alex Nicol starred before he made the far more important "House Across the Lake" for writer- director Ken Hughes.

In this "Face the Music", Nicol is a cornet player (his solos are superbly dubbed by Kenny Baker, who can also be spotted on screen as the band leader) who becomes innocently involved with a girl (Ann Hanslip) who is later found murdered.

Despite the familiar plot, Fisher manages to create a fair amount of atmosphere and tension before the final somewhat disappointing climax in which the real killer is unmasked.

Fortunately, the film is strong on milieu and music, and also has some smart dialogue.

However, Eleanor Summerfield is wasted in a nothing role (although it starts promisingly). And at 85 minutes, the film is longer than most "B" movies. But what could you cut?

I wouldn't like to cut any of the musical numbers. You could take the scissors to Paul Carpenter's role, but he not only provides some much-needed action, but he's mighty convincing as well. In any event, his role is, if anything, too short! (Available on an excellent VCI DVD coupled with a U.S.A. cut-down of "Third Party Risk" a.k.a."The Big Deadly Game")

A minor and slow pace Noir, often adrift and complex, but it's a Noir!!!

[elo-equipamentos · 7/10 · 31 May 2020]

As a deeply passionate by Noir genre I used never give under seven in any of this kind, this is widely perceived a minor movie about an American high-profile trumpet jazz player James Bradley (Alex Nicol) arrives on London to do a British tour, after the show tired he accidently meets with a blonde gorgeous singer Maxine Halbartd (Ann Hanslip) which she invites him to a dinner at her home, the chemistry is blatant perceived, lately James leaving there, although someone entered in the Maxine's apartment, in the dawn James was wake up by the police asking where he was that night, he receives the bad news about Maxine's death, then he starts his own investigation, taking him on dangerous places at London, among fights, misunderstandings he is reaching of the truth, between a live show and countless research he will slowly getting to the point, an American British co-production on Hammer's label this movie is slow paced, but intriguing and too much complex adrift quite often, Alex Nicol doesn't fits on so-called handsome star, he usually was a good supporting casting, overall the picture wasn't so bad at all, beside it is a Noir movie!!

Resume:

First watch: 2020 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7

The Black Glove

[CinemaSerf · 6/10 · 26 May 2023]

Kenny Baker's trumpet playing does most of the heavy lifting here in this otherwise rather long and daft crime drama. An enthusiastic Alex Nicol ("Bradley") is the box-office "star" brought over to augment this story of a newly-arrived, acclaimed, trumpeter who finds himself jet-lagged and embroiled in the killing of a singer. Trying to convince "Insp. MacKenzie" (Fred Johnson) of his innocence he determines to investigate the crime himself - and he quickly discovers that there is no shortage of suspects nor motives as we are exposed to some of the less savoury aspects of the music business. It's ending smacks more of "Poirot" as we end up with everyone in a room facing our sleuth who goes through them all one-by-one. If you like a good jazz trumpet soundtrack to a film, then you will certainly get more from this, otherwise it's a bit too long and it was pretty easy to guess whodunit early on.

Too many notes

[michaelprescott-00547 · 4/10 · 20 April 2023]

Before they reinvented the horror genre with lush, full-color reinterpretations of Dracula and Frankenstein, Hammer Studios churned out a series of low-budget noirs. The ones I've seen have ranged from a little better than mediocre to outright terrible. The Black Glove is at the lower end of the scale.

The pace is plodding, the plot convoluted, the performances serviceable at best. There's precious little atmosphere, even in the cheap dives and rathole flats which the film invites us to visit. There's also music, a lot of music, too much music. The main character is a trumpet player, and let's just say he blows. A lot.

Besides making a lot of noise, the guy is also kind of a jerk. He's supposed to be endearingly flippant, but he comes across as an arrogant creep. Strangely, the police give him free rein to investigate the murder while apparently doing nothing on their own.

Not enough happens for the first hour, and too much happens toward the end. The climax goes on forever and is deadly dull as our hero tediously explains the whole mystery while fighting off sleep (he's recovering from exposure to a poisoned trumpet mouthpiece, of all things).

Terence Fisher, who would go onto direct many of the best Hammer horror films with flair and panache, is uninspired here. But given the deficiencies of the script and the cast, you can't really blame him.

And by the way, there is no black glove in the movie.

"For the music is your special friend,Dance on fire as it intends, Music is your only friend,Until the end."

[morrison-dylan-fan · 6/10 · 29 June 2022]

Recently seeing the swift Film Noir Mantrap (1953-also reviewed),I was pleased to see on Talking Pictures free online catch-up service that another Noir by Terence Fisher has recently appeared on the site,leading to me facing the music.

View on the film:

Recorded as a murder suspect, Alex Nicol gives an oddly laid-back performance as Bradley, who when attempting to gather evidence to prove his innocence, is given a casual dialogue delivery by Nicol, while Ann Hanslip gives the title some Femme Fatale notes as doomed Jazz singer Halbard.

Covered in Tony Dalton's terrific book Terence Fisher: Master of Gothic Cinema, that after he signed a deal with the studio for a second time, (taking a gap once his first contract had finished, due to not being pleased with the projects the studio were offering) this was the title which firmly established the relationship between Hammer and the film maker, (who shared a love of Jazz with Music's producer Michael Carreras.)

Joined by future regular collaborator Jimmy Sangster working as a assistant director, director Terence Fisher & Stolen Assignment (1956-also reviewed) cinematographer Walter J. Harvey spin a creepy Film Noir atmosphere of stylish distorted panning shots and dissolves over the killer waiting to commit the murder at the perfect moment to frame Bradley, Fisher continuing to expand on his major Film Noir motif of extended first-person sequences, and playing to a macabre final note, when Bradley finds the killer and skips a beat.

A plot Sherlock Holmes couldn't understand

[jameselliot-1 · 2/10 · 30 September 2021]

It's difficult to believe that THE Terrence Fisher directed this slog of a mystery about the folks who inhabit the world of smoky jazz clubs. A scene in which Alex Nicol starts trouble in a tough London club and is able to just stroll out without a group of guys looking like they're auditioning for Reservoir Dogs kicking his head in is ridiculous. Mostly studio bound on cheap sets, the film wastes an opportunity to shoot good location footage. The two detectives investigating the murder of the pretty jazz singer mainly sit on their lardasses for most of the running time. The big reveal is a big nothing.

Charlie Dingus

[southdavid · 6/10 · 19 May 2023]

Another film found on Youtube and watched for the "House of Hammer" Podcast, "Face the Music", or "The Black Glove" if you prefer, is yet another murder mystery melodrama dressed up in the trappings of another theme, this time the London Jazz scene.

James Bradley (Alex Neil) is an American Jazz Trumpet virtuoso just starting a residency in London. After a flirty liaison at the house of singer Maxine (Ann Halbard) he heads home, accidentally leaving his trumpet behind. When Maxine is found dead the next day, the evidence points to Bradley. He begins his own investigation into the murder which leads him to a vinyl record that the studio seems to have no record of producing.

I suppose my problem with the film is that somehow the case is both over complicated, but also lacking in actual things happening. The complications aren't exactly red herrings but looking back on the film now (less then 24 hours after I watched it) I still can't quite work out how it all tied all it's pieces together. I'd have preferred the film to be a bit shorter too, than it's 84 minutes. Whilst it's not a musical in the strictest sense - there are several lengthy jazz trumpet scenes, where Neil's music is actually being played by Kenny Baker (not that one), we could have cut those scenes down to choice moments and audience reaction, to show that Bradley is good and not lost too much of the story.

My other problem is Bradley himself. I think Alex Neil crossed over from self-confidence to smugness too often and particularly in the film's conclusion, when he goes around the room like Poirot explaining everyone's part in this story.

I've written quite a bit about the film's failings here, which might suggest that I hated it, which is not quite true. Some of the dialogue is pretty snappy and for once the fight scene seems a little more rough and ready. The only problem I really struggled with was that length, it would have been a much better film at nearer to the hour mark.

Plods along

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 30 October 2019]

FACE THE MUSIC is a slightly tedious potboiler and one of many similar pictures knocked out by Hammer director Terence Fisher before he hit the big time with THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN. This one features a dull American import in the form of Alex Nicol, who begins a budding romance with a young singer only to have his plans curtailed when she turns up dead. He ends up the main suspect, and must become detective himself in order to figure things out. Sadly, this has none of the visual flair that Fisher bought to his later films, and the below-par script doesn't help much either. It just sort of plods along before an admittedly satisfying ending, but by then it's too little, too late.

The Young Man With a Horn: Murderer or Detective?

[mark.waltz · 8/10 · 30 January 2013]

The brassy sounds of Alex Nicol's trumpet blare as he tries to find who came in to a rising singer's apartment after he left and killed her. Having left his horn behind, he is naturally the first suspect, even though he's at the height of his popularity and the current toast of London. Determined to clear himself, he visits everybody she knew and the list of suspects add up. Along the way, he meets her grieving sister (Eleanor Summerfield), a hard-boiled second rate night club singer who was intensely envious of her sister and slowly reveals her innermost feelings to him, a soul riddled with insecurities, self-hatred and a desire to escape from her tortured lack of self-esteem.

Nicol is excellent in this look of London's jazz clubs and recording studios where a rise to fame from dive pubs and second rate recording studios can be more important than a spaghetti dinner. The revealing hatred towards the dead girl increase as characteristics of her are revealed that made her not as nice as she seemed. The musical sequences (both vocal and instrumental) are quite memorable, and the supporting performances are all on the money. This is a delightful surprise in the sometimes mixed bag of British noir, a similar story so well written with acerbic dialog and a great poem duet between Nicol and the murder victim (Ann Hanslip) that is as spicy as the "suppose" conversation between Stanwyck and MacMurray in "Double Indemnity". Then, there's Nicol's sequence of choosing a new trumpet after his has been entered by the police as evidence. It is little details like this that make this sleeper a nice discovery.

Black glove?

[AAdaSC · 6/10 · 3 February 2024]

Alex Nicol (Bradley) is a famous American trumpet player on tour in the UK who is exhausted and wants to go to bed. He encounters singer Ann Hanslip (Maxine) whilst on his way home and she invites him to her place for something to eat. The next morning he is a murder suspect as she has been bumped off in the night and it doesn't help that he has left his trumpet at her apartment. The film follows Nicol's efforts to get to the bottom of what has happened.

It's a mystery that leads you through many scenarios and it is quite complicated so make sure you keep up with all the characters. There are some great scenes, eg, the first meeting between Nicol and Hanslip when she is singing in a club and he gets out his trumpet and starts blowing out his tune at her. Ha ha. It is hilarious. There is some choice dialogue along the way and the film is quite funny (apart from the comedy character manager and some idiot selling trumpets) although I'm not sure it is always intentional. And God knows why Nicol solves the crime instead of the police. But so what.

This film has a great setting in the world of bedsits and nightclubs and it is interesting to see London in the 1950s. This brings me to the main reason I purchased this film. It has the street where I grew up - Elvaston Place - listed in the filming location. Sure enough, about 45 minutes into the film, Nicol exits a taxi to visit singer Eleanor Summerfield (Barbara) and there is my street. Not only that, but you can see the house I grew up in in the 1970s. That was an extra bonus. What is also funny is that the house that he visits (no. 12) had a couple of drug dealers living in the basement flat during the 1990s & 2000s. So, this scene brought back a slice of social history and many memories for me.

At one point, my wife said "Oh look, it's him from 'It Ain't Half Hot Mum'", the 1970s British sitcom set in the Burma jungle. I missed him but on checking the cast list, she was right - it's the little gay one. He plays a bellhop. Step forward Melvyn Hayes. "We're all going on a summer holiday" - "SHUUUUT UUP!" - ha ha.

My copy of the film is called "The Black Glove". Goodness knows why.

Too much music too little mystery

[malcolmgsw · 5/10 · 20 April 2018]

There is far too much music and not enough mystery.It means that the film lasts 15 minutes more then need be.Alex Nicol is yet another key lagged American who stumbled unwisely into a situation that leads to murder..He then spends the rest of the film trying to solve who is the murderer between blowing his own trumpet.It really is not particularly exciting.

Not the Smoothest or the Most Suspenseful of Hammer's Early 50's Film-Noirs

[LeonLouisRicci · 7/10 · 8 June 2023]

American Title..."The Black Glove"...UK Title..."Face the Music"

Hammer Studios, soon to Become Internationally Famous with a 20 Year-Run of Fan-Favorites and Critical Praise.

Re-Inventing the Universal Horror-Monster Craze of the 1930-40's, with a "New" Brand of Style, Using Impeccably Designed Sets and Costumes with Cutting-Edge Make-Up, Monsters, Sex, and Violence.

But Before All That the Small British Studio had a Good-Stretch with Film-Noir.

This One, Directed by Terence Fisher, who would be Front and Center as the Lead Director for the Horror Films, Tries Hard with a Heavy Dose of Jazz-Trumpet, that Gives it a Different Feel.

The First and Third Acts Contain some Nifty City-Neon-Night Scenes, but the Murder Mystery and Noir Ambiance Suffers from Too Many Suspects and Characters.

The Behind the Scenes Jazz World and Recording Business is Also an Off-Beat Touch, but the Film may Suffer Somewhat, Depending, on a Border-Line Overdose of "Trumpet-Solos".

In the End it is Shocking to See a Film-Noir, any Film of this Sort, with all the Suspects Gathered in 1 Room to Confront the Evidence, that Plays Dated Like an Agatha Christie or a Poirot Story.

The Overall is a Not to Satisfying Outing for a Hammer Noir or a Terence Fisher Movie. But its Produced Well, with some Off-Beat Treats and as Always, it it's a Hammer Film, it's...

Worth a Watch.

Note...The Trumpet Solos Played by "Kenny Baker"

A Fine Movie From Fisher

[boblipton · 8/10 · 27 August 2023]

Alex Nicoll is an American jazz trumpeter playing London with his band to happy audiences. After an exhausting show, he begs off a party arranged by his manager, John Salew; he needs sleep. He is distracted from this purpose by gorgeous singer Ann Hanslip. After a spaghetti dinner in her apartment, he heads off to get that sleep, only to be woken by the police. Miss Hanslip is dead, murdered, and he is a person of interest. As is usual in the movie world, he figures he has to clear himself, and starts to investigate.

That movie cliche aside, this is a fine movie. Although I don't have the high opinion of director Terence Fisher that others have, this is a superior movie, thanks in part to DP Walter J. Harvey's crisp lighting, but also a nice handling of the jazz world that Nicoll moves through. Add in a score by Kenny Baker -- the British trumpeter, cornetist, and flugelhorn player -- who also does the trumpet playing doubled by Nicoll, and you have a movie that is an enthralling proof that Fisher was actually a very talented director.