Movie spotlight
Design for Murder
When a wealthy, lonely university music student is beaten and has his apartment trashed by a fellow dorm resident-bully and his gang, he goes mad, lures the bully into his room on pretense of forgiveness, slips him a paralyzing agent in a drink, throws him in a trunk and locks him in, and taunts the bully with the promise that he will be buried alive in the trunk. Only, once he gets his trunk and his prey to his country estate, the vengeful victim finds things keep going wrong...
Insights
Plot Summary
A struggling playwright inherits a large sum of money and a mansion, only to find himself embroiled in a murder mystery. As he delves deeper into the strange circumstances surrounding the death of the man who left him the inheritance, he uncovers a complex web of greed and deceit. He must race against time to solve the murder before he becomes the next victim.
Critical Reception
Design for Murder is a B-movie mystery that offers a standard but competently executed whodunit plot. While not groundbreaking, it provides adequate suspense and a satisfying conclusion for fans of the genre. Critical reception at the time was generally lukewarm, with reviewers noting its predictable nature but acknowledging its efficient pacing and effective atmosphere.
What Reviewers Say
Offers a typical but engaging mystery plot.
Competently directed with a serviceable script.
Satisfying for fans of classic whodunit films.
Google audience: Information on Google user reviews for this film is not readily available.
Fun Fact
The film was produced by Monogram Pictures, a studio known for its low-budget 'B' pictures, often released as double features.
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