User Reviews

Boris Karloff first traveled to England in the fall of 1952 to shoot three pilot episodes for a new TV show called COLONEL MARCH OF Scotland YARD, after which they were edited into a feature film, "Colonel March Investigates," to garner interest in the subsequent series, which was filmed from November 1953 through the spring of 1954. For the first time since he last played Mr. James Lee Wong in 1940, Karloff delights in portraying an investigator, Scotland Yard's Colonel A. L. March of The Department of Queer Complaints (D3), wearing a patch over his left eye (which went unexplained), and amiably sparring with regular co-star Ewan Roberts, who appeared in 20 of the 26 entries as Inspector Ames, conducting the routine aspects of each case while March focused on the more unusual details (the only other actor to appear in place of Roberts more than once was Eric Pohlmann, as Inspector Goron of the French Surete). "Hot Money" serves as an excellent introduction, beginning with a daring bank robbery by a masked assailant, who forces the helpless clerk, John Parrish (John Hewer), to assist in his escape, promising to split the loot as he shoots dead the bank guard. Once the culprit speeds away in a car, Parrish follows in a taxi, arriving just after the robber in the office of shady attorney Ireton Boulder (Ronald Leigh Hunt), whose secretary, Marjorie Dawson (Joan Sims), objects to the stranger barging in, who curiously summons Scotland Yard himself to accuse Boulder of the crime. By a quirk of fate, Colonel March was present at the bank at the time of the robbery, and is surprised that there isn't a trace of the stolen notes anywhere in Boulder's office, which forces Inspector Ames to arrest the protesting Parrish. In the one sequence shot a year later for syndication, it's a professional safecracker (an unbilled Robert Arden) who gives March the vital clue that cracks the case (Marianne Stone also appears unbilled, as one of the bank customers). The next two episodes to complete the trilogy were "Death in the Dressing Room" and "The New Invisible Man."

HOT MONEY was the first time I encountered Boris Karloff's Colonel March in the form of COLONEL MARCH INVESTIGATES, an anthology movie stitched together from three pilot episodes of the show Colonel March of Scotland Yard (the others were DEATH IN THE DRESSING ROOM and THE NEW INVISIBLE MAN). You can tell something is a little off as March and Ames aren't as friendly as they would be later on in the show and almost feel like strangers in places.

However, the story is a good one making this a strong start for the series. After a violent bank robbery, the trail leads back to a mild-mannered lawyer who claims innocence. March's main investigation lies in discovering the missing loot because with it he'll find the guilty party. This is snappy, pacy stuff, enlivened by supporting cast appearances from Ronald Leigh-Hunt, Joan Sims, and an uncredited Marianne Stone.

It's a robbery with a difference, confusion begins when a violent robbery

It's a cracker of an episode, it's a mix of heist, mystery and crime, it relies on The good Colonel's incredible degree of cleverness.

It starts off very well, but the core and ending are fantastic, I would argue this is one of the best, certainly one of my favourites.

Very well acted all round, each plays their part incredibly well, although the real star of the show for me is Joan Sims, Miss Dawson is a cracking character, you can see her comedy timing and quality here in this early performance.

Very good, 8/10.

Colonel March of The Department of Queer Complaints based at Scotland Yard is a witness in this story.

Colonel March goes to the bank that is being robbed by a man in a rubber mask. On his way out the robber also implicates the nearby bank clerk to the robbery.

The bank clerk runs out and follows the robber all the way to his office. The robber turns out to be a solicitor and the bank clerk to prove his innocence needs to find the money hidden somewhere in his office.

Of course the police find nothing and the bank clerk is in big trouble. Colonel March then decides to visit the solicitor.

It is a preposterous story but it is done in such a zippy manner. March is urbane and more observant than his other police colleagues. He also believes in the bank clerk.

Joan Sims plays the confused legal secretary.