{{Short description|1954 British film by Alfred Travers}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}} {{Use British English|date=May 2016}} {{Infobox film | name = Solution by Phone | image = | caption = Original British trade ad | director = Alfred Travers | producer = Brandon Fleming <br>Geoffrey Goodheart | writer = Brandon Fleming | starring = Clifford Evans<br> Thea Gregory<br>John Witty | music = | cinematography = Hilton Craig | editing = Carmen Beliaeff | studio = Pan Productions | distributor = Associated British-Pathé | released = {{Film date|df=yes|1954|01|11}} | runtime = 60 minutes | country = United Kingdom | language = English | budget = | gross = }} '''''Solution by Phone''''' is a 1954 British second feature ('B')<ref name="Chibnall">{{Cite book |last1=Chibnall |first1=Steve |title=The British 'B' Film |last2=McFarlane |first2=Brian |publisher=BFI/Bloomsbury |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-8445-7319-6 |location=London |page=125}}</ref> crime film directed by Alfred Travers and starring Clifford Evans, Thea Gregory and Georgina Cookson.<ref name="BFIsearch">{{Cite web |title=Solution by Phone |url=https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/ChoiceFilmWorks/150290836 |access-date=23 December 2024 |website=British Film Institute Collections Search}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/351888|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090115092202/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/351888|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-01-15|title=Solution by Phone (1953)|publisher=}}</ref> The screenplay by Brendon Fleming concerns an actor who seeks help from a crime novelist in his attempts to dispose of a body.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmovie.com/movie/solution-by-phone-v110898|title=Solution by Phone (1954) – Alfred Travers – Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related –AllMovie|publisher=}}</ref> It was shot at Brighton Studios with sets designed by the art director Don Russell.
==Cast== * Clifford Evans as Richard Hanborough * Thea Gregory as Ann Selby * John Witty as Peter Wayne * Georgina Cookson as Frances Hanborough * Enid Hewitt as Mrs. Garner * Geoffrey Goodheart as Inspector Kirby * Max Brimmell as Sgt. Woods
== Reception == ''The Monthly Film Bulletin'' wrote: "The playing of Clifford Evans and Geoffrey Goodhart is suitably restrained, but the same cannot be said for John Witty and Georgina Cookson, and Thea Gregory gives rather a wooden performance as Ann."<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1 January 1954 |title=Solution by Phone |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1305823657 |journal=The Monthly Film Bulletin |volume=21 |issue=240 |pages=42 |id={{ProQuest|1305823657}} |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
''Kine Weekly'' wrote: "Its tale ... is quite ingenious, but the players, apart from Clifford Evans, smooth and efficient in the lead, fall short of demands. So does the director. Stagy and only mildly exciting, it limits its own market. Very very moderate quota 'second'."<ref>{{Cite journal |date=28 January 1954 |title=Solution by Phone |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2676982642 |journal=Kine Weekly |volume=442 |issue=2431 |page=24 |id={{ProQuest|2676982642}} |url-access=subscription }}</ref>
''Picturegoer'' wrote: "The whole thing falls incredibly flat."<ref>{{Cite journal |date=8 January 1955 |title=Solution by Phone |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1705006482 |journal=Picturegoer |volume=29 |issue= |page=17 |id={{ProQuest|1705006482}} |url-access=subscription }}</ref>
In ''British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959'' David Quinlan rated the film as "mediocre", writing: "Ingenious plot, but poorly done."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Quinlan |first=David |title=British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 |publisher=B.T. Batsford Ltd. |year=1984 |isbn=0-7134-1874-5 |location=London |pages=376}}</ref>
Chibnall and McFarlane in ''The British 'B' Film'' call the film "somewhat far-fetched."<ref name="Chibnall" />
==References== <references/>
==External links== * {{IMDb title|0222380}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Solution by Phone}} Category:1954 films Category:1954 crime films Category:Films directed by Alfred Travers Category:British crime films Category:British black-and-white films Category:1954 English-language films Category:1954 British films Category:English-language crime films