Web of Evidence aka Beyond This Place (1959)

Web of Evidence aka Beyond This Place (Dir: Jack Cardiff, 1959). 

This 1959 British crime drama was distributed in the UK by Renown Pictures Corporation as Beyond This Place and based upon the A J Cronin’s 1950 novel of that name. In the US the movie was released by Paramount Pictures under the slightly snappier title Web of Evidence. 

20 years after the Second World War, evacuee Paul Mathry (Van Johnson) returns from the US to his former Liverpool home town. Seeking information about his father (Bernard Lee), Paul is surprised to learn Dad has spent the last two decades in prison, rather than killed in air raid as he had previously believed. Convicted of a murder around which doubt exists of his guilt, Paul enlists the help of librarian Lena (Vera Miles) to clear pop’s name and secure his release. He soon finds his own life at risk as he attempts to untangle a seedy mess of flawed femmes, corrupt coppers and bent businessmen. 

The basic premise of Web of Evidence is undoubtedly an interesting one. However, the pace at which the story unfolds is too slow to create any real intrigue. The obvious plotting and somewhat flat dialogue courtesy of screenwriter Ken Taylor doesn’t really help matters. Neither does some injudicious casting; aside from bearing little resemblance to Bernard Lee, Van Johnson is far too old to properly convince in the role of a former WWII evacuee. Aged 43 when the movie was released he is a good 15 years older than the character he portrays and looks it. This was, presumably, even more apparent to contemporary audiences, as all but those with the shortest of memories would be aware that Johnson had been an established star in his mid 20s by the early 1940s, just a couple of years after the events of the Liverpool Blitz depicted here. This robs the film of any real plausibility from the outset. There is little evidence of chemistry to be found in the chaste romance between Johnson and female lead Vera Miles, although in fairness to both players, this is largely thanks to a plot mechanism which has Miles fearful of men. The rest of the cast fairs better. Although underused, Lee does well as the embittered ex-con, while fans of vintage British cinema will welcome the familiar faces of Jean Kent, Leo McKern, Geoffrey Keen, Vincent Winter and Danny Green in smaller roles. 

Also, amusingly, this a film set entirely in Liverpool with nary a Liverpudlian accent to be heard! I guess in the pre-Beatles era most of the audience would have been unaware of this but it is rather jarring today. Yet, in spite of these criticisms, I did find the movie to be quite entertaining. Director Jack Cardiff creates a nice moody atmosphere among the Liverpool backstreets on which it was shot. It also benefits from its personable players, as miscast as some of them may be. At roughly 85 minutes it is short enough to not outstay its welcome. 

Ultimately, the problems with cast and plot are a little too much for Web of Evidence to overcome. I couldn’t honestly say that I wholeheartedly recommend it, but for fans of the stars and of British cinema history it is worth a watch if you stumble across it.