You’ve probably seen those old black-and-white posters. The ones where a guy in a trench coat looks suspiciously at a woman in a high-fashion gown. That’s the vibe of Model for Murder movie, a 1959 British crime thriller that doesn’t get nearly enough credit for being as tight and efficient as it is. It was directed by Terry Bishop. It’s a B-movie. But honestly, it’s a B-movie with an A-grade sense of London’s post-war fashion scene.
The plot kicks off with a Royal Canadian Air Force officer named David (played by Keith Larsen) who lands in England to find his late brother’s girlfriend. He’s looking for some closure. Instead, he finds a corpse in a fashion house and a jewelry heist plot that’s way more complicated than it has any right to be.
What Actually Happens in Model for Murder?
The movie doesn’t waste time. It’s barely over 70 minutes long. David arrives in London and tracks down Sally, a model at a high-end dress house. Arlene Howell plays Sally. She’s gorgeous, but the real star is the atmosphere. We aren't talking about Hollywood glamour here; it’s that gritty, foggy London aesthetic where every alleyway feels like a trap.
David gets caught up in a mess involving a designer named Madame Dupont. There’s a bracelet. A very expensive, very stolen bracelet.
Basically, the "model" part of the title isn't just for show. The fashion industry provides the perfect cover for smuggling. It’s a clever setup because back in the 50s, the world of haute couture was seen as untouchable and elite. Who would suspect a dressmaker of running a diamond ring?
People often confuse this with other "model" movies from the era. It’s not a slasher. It’s a mystery.
Why the 1959 Context Matters So Much
Post-war Britain was a strange place. The country was still rebuilding, but the fashion industry was booming. Movies like Model for Murder movie captured that weird tension between the old, bombed-out London and the new, flashy consumerism.
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If you watch it closely, you see the geography of the city playing a massive role. The chase scenes aren't high-speed Ferrari stunts. They are desperate scrambles through real London streets.
The Cast and the "North American" Lead
Producers in the 50s did this thing where they’d hire an American or Canadian actor to lead a British film. Why? To make it sellable in the States. Keith Larsen was that guy for this project.
- Keith Larsen (David): He brings a sort of stiff-jawed, no-nonsense energy. He’s the "outsider" who sees through the British politeness.
- Arlene Howell (Sally): She was actually a Miss USA winner (1958). Her presence was a huge marketing point.
- Ewen Solon: He plays the heavy, and he’s great at being subtle about it.
It’s a formula. But it worked.
The Mystery of the Missing Prints
Finding a high-quality version of Model for Murder movie today is a nightmare. Honestly, it’s one of those films that slipped into the "lost" or "forgotten" category for a long time. It wasn't until boutique DVD labels started digging into the British Lion or Danziger catalogues that people started seeing it again.
It was produced by the Danziger brothers—Edward and Harry. These guys were the kings of low-budget British cinema. They churned out movies and TV shows like a factory. They didn’t care about art; they cared about the bottom line. But because they were so efficient, the movies have a weird, frantic pace that feels more modern than the prestige dramas of 1959.
Behind the Scenes: The Danziger Method
The Danzigers owned New Elstree Studios. They were famous for being cheap. They’d use the same sets for three different movies in a single week.
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In Model for Murder movie, you can almost smell the fresh paint on the studio walls. But that cheapness gives it a certain charm. It’s stripped down. There’s no fluff. Every line of dialogue is there to move the plot toward the reveal.
The cinematography by Peter Hennessy is surprisingly good for a budget flick. He uses shadows to hide the fact that the sets are small. It creates a claustrophobic feel that actually helps the suspense.
How It Compares to Other 50s Thrillers
If you compare this to something like Hitchcock’s Vertigo (which came out just a year earlier), it looks like a student film. But that’s the wrong way to look at it. Model for Murder movie belongs to the tradition of "quota quickies"—films made to satisfy a legal requirement that British theaters show a certain percentage of home-grown content.
It’s more like a "pulp novel" on screen. Short chapters. Quick twists. No moralizing.
Where to Find the Real Evidence
If you are a film historian or just a nerd for 50s noir, you should check out the British Film Institute (BFI) archives. They have the original production notes. Most of what people think they know about this movie comes from old TV guides, which are notoriously wrong.
For instance, some sites claim the movie is about a "serial killer." It’s not. It’s about a robbery gone wrong that leads to a murder. The stakes are personal, not psychological.
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- Check the BFI National Archive for "Danziger Productions."
- Look for the "Network" DVD releases of British film noir.
- Consult "The British 'B' Film" by Brian McFarlane for the best context on how these movies were made.
The Legacy of the "Model" Thriller
The concept of the "fashion house murder" became a staple. You see it later in Italian Giallo films of the 60s and 70s. Movies like Mario Bava’s Blood and Black Lace owe a weird, indirect debt to these earlier black-and-white British mysteries.
They took the elegance of the runway and stained it with blood. It’s a classic juxtaposition.
Actionable Steps for Vintage Film Fans
If you're actually going to track down Model for Murder movie, don't just search YouTube. The quality is usually garbage.
- Search for "The Danziger Collection": This is often how the movie is bundled in streaming or physical media.
- Verify the Year: Make sure you aren't watching a 1940s film with a similar name. 1959 is the one you want.
- Watch the Lighting: Pay attention to how the director uses lighting in the fashion house scenes compared to the street scenes. It’s a masterclass in low-budget visual storytelling.
The movie ends with a classic "justice is served" moment, but the journey through the sleazy underbelly of London's high fashion is what makes it worth the 73 minutes. It’s a snapshot of a world that doesn’t exist anymore.
To dig deeper into the world of 1950s British B-movies, your best bet is to look into the work of Terry Bishop. He was a journeyman director who knew exactly how to make a dollar look like five. You can also research the career of Keith Larsen to see how he transitioned from these British thrillers back into American television. Most of these films are now in the public domain or held by specialized distributors, so checking platforms like Tubi or Archive.org often yields the best viewing results for the curious collector.