The Hypnotist (1957 film)

The Hypnotist (U.S. title Scotland Yard Dragnet) is a 1957 British thriller film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Paul Carpenter, Patricia Roc and Roland Culver. It is based on a 1956 play by Falkland Cary. A hypnotist has grown sick of his wife and attempts to convince one of his patients to murder her.

Cast

 * Roland Culver as Dr. Francis Pelham
 * Patricia Roc as Mary Foster
 * Paul Carpenter as Valentine 'Val' Neal
 * William Hartnell as Inspector Ross
 * Gordon Needham as Detective Sergeant Davis
 * Edgar Driver as Atkins, the porter
 * Tom Tann as Wang, the houseboy
 * Ellen Pollock as Miss Barbara Barton
 * Robert Sansom as senior test flight official
 * Martin Wyldeck as Dr. Bradford
 * John Serret as Dr. Martin
 * Oliver Johnston as Dr. Kenyon
 * Kay Callard as jazz club blonde
 * Tim Fitzgerald as Val as a boy
 * Mary Jones as Val's mother

Critical reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The narrative of this murder mystery is so hung about with rambling and unconnected sub-plots as to become hopelessly confused. A most inept performance by Paul Carpenter only adds to the muddle; but there is some good playing by Kay Callard and Ellen Pollock."

The Radio Times wrote "Irish-born director Montgomery Tully was one of the key figures in the British B-movie industry during the 1950s and 1960s. This is one of his better efforts, as psychiatrist Roland Culver attempts to frame disturbed test pilot Paul Carpenter for the murder of his wife. Culver does a nice line in evil manipulation and Patricia Roc is typically spirited as the girlfriend standing by her man."

TV Guide wrote: "the film drags on and on, going nowhere and taking too long to get there."