User Reviews

Episode 17, "Error at Daybreak" benefits from a better than usual cast, and a script that provides quite a puzzler. Colonel March is vacationing at the beach, and thus is on hand to see the bad heart of unscrupulous businessman Norman Kane (Lloyd Lamble) giving out just as he's about to make another dive into the ocean. Dr. Robert Hastings (Robert Brown) confirms there is no pulse and runs off for help, while March discovers blood and a sharp needle, indicating murder. Suspicion immediately falls upon Kane's secretary, Marion Williams (Patricia Marmont), who could have fired the pointed needle using an air rifle. Inspector Ames (Ewan Roberts) reveals that Kane had just withdrawn the entire amount of his considerable worth, and was about to be arrested for swindling. Colonel March begins the case with little Roger (Richard O'Sullivan) calling attention to the theft of his small rubber ball, just as his nanny Clara (Adrienne Corri) had planned to run off to France to marry Kane, but where it turns up reveals the truth about all the varied plot threads. Patricia Marmont was the daughter of actor Percy Marmont (seen in "Death and the Other Monkey"), and beautiful redhead Adrienne Corri was no stranger to Boris Karloff, later appearing with him in 1958's "Corridors of Blood." Robert Brown made a fine villain on THE AVENGERS, and replaced the late Bernard Lee as 'M' in the James Bond series during the 80s.

Colonel March is trying hard to relax on a beach, but a conversation with young lad is followed by a suspicious death.

It's a decent episode, there's nothing in this one I would say makes it feel unique or different, the twist is good when it comes, but the events are pretty straightforward to predict.

Ewan Roberts is always great value as Inspector Ames, he's such a charismatic actor, a clear, strong personality, and that accent is wonderful.

Richard O'Sullivan is instantly recognisable as the young boy on the beach. You can easily see who he is.

Fancy introducing yourself as being from The Department of Queer complaints, it does make me chuckle when Karloff utters it.

Decent, 6/10.

As a long time fan of John Dickson Carr, I was pleased to come across this episode on Matinée Classics. Although I've seen many of them, I'm not a fan of Boris Karloff's horror movies but based on interviews with him and what I have read about him it seems as though he was quite a kind and cultured man. While vacationing on the shore, Colonel March is approached by a young boy who asks him to investigate the loss of his small rubber ball. Soon on the pier they witness a man clutching his chest and falling into the sea. March who heads Scotland Yard's Department of Queer Complaints finds certain evidence suggesting that the man's death may not have been from natural causes. The solution to this mystery was pretty interesting but what I really liked about this episode was the interaction between Colonel March and the boy. March was such the wise grandfather figure in these scenes. I liked Karloff better as the wise grandfather than as Fu Manchu. There is another episode of this available on Internet Archive and other than that, this series appears to be unavailable – which is a shame as Karloff is so likable in this series.

Colonel March is taking a break by the seaside. As he helps a small boy (Richard O'Sullivan) find his rubber ball.

He sees a tycoon called Kane collapse on the jetty. He had a weak heart and his doctor confirms that it was a heart attack.

Colonel March sees traces of blood and a sharp needle nearby. By the time the police arrive, the body has disappeared. Swept away by the tide.

Inspector Ames confirms that Kane was on the verge of being arrested for his shady business activities.

A pedestrian effort although the more important clues were the body disappearing and Kane was wanted by the police.

The actual motives of the alleged killer and their actions at the end were demented.

A young Richard O'Sullivan was immediately recognisable.

ERROR AT DAYBREAK is a bit of a staid entry in the Colonel March TV series. The murder method in the film is slightly odd but other than that this is a very ordinary murder mystery which it doesn't take long for our vacationing hero to solve. The one interesting thing about it is that it was shot on location on the beach, once again taking our detective out of his urban surroundings to get a breath of fresh air.

The story sees a wealthy man heading out to sea for a swim but mysteriously collapsing. A heart attack is suspected, but March finds traces of blood and isn't convinced. He soon gets to the bottom of a rather ordinary mystery. The supporting cast is pretty good, including future Bond actor Robert Brown, Adrienne Corri, and Richard O'Sullivan as a lad. However, there are some inexplicable moments, such as mystery being made of whether a body should have been washed away by the tide (it wasn't in a position to be able to be washed away) and the bizarre heavy accent that Inspector Ames slips into at one point.