Edgar Wallace (1875–1932) was a British novelist, playwright and screenwriter whose works have been adapted for the screen on many occasions. His films fall into two categories, British adaptations and the German "Krimi" films.
British adaptations His works were adapted for the silent screen as early as 1916, and continued to be adapted by British filmmakers into the 1940s. Anglo-Amalgamated later released a separate series of 47 features entitled the Edgar Wallace Mysteries, which ran from 1960 to 1965.
British silent films The Man Who Bought London (1916) The Green Terror (1919) based on the novel The Green Rust Pallard the Punter (1919) based on the novel Grey Timothy Angel Esquire (1919) The River of Stars (1921) The Four Just Men (1921) Melody of Death (1922) The Crimson Circle (1922) Down Under Donovan (1922) The Diamond Man (1924) The Flying Fifty-Five (1924) The Green Archer (1925) Mark of the Frog (1928) serial The Terrible People (1928) serial, made in the U.S. Valley of Ghosts (1928) The Forger (1928) The Ringer (1928) The Man Who Changed his Name (1928) The Flying Squad (1929) Prince Gabby (1929) The Clue of the New Pin (1929)Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. .
British sound films The Terror (1928) The Crimson Circle (1929) a German film dubbed in English for British release The Squeaker (1930) The Yellow Mask (1930) The Calendar (1931) The Old Man (1931) Hound of the Baskervilles (1932) based on the Arthur Conan Doyle novel, but the screenplay was written by Edgar Wallace The Frightened Lady (1932) a.k.a. The Indian Scarf The Jewel (1933) Before Dawn (1933) Hollywood film based on the Edgar Wallace story Death Watch Giallo (1933 film) - technically an Italian film, based on the Wallace novel The Man Who Changed His Mind Mystery Liner (1934) The Man Who Changed His Name (1934) Sanders of the River (1935) The Crimson Circle (1936) Strangers on Honeymoon (1936) adapted from the novel The Northing Tramp The Squeaker (1937) a.k.a. Murder on Diamond Row The Frog (1937) Return of the Frog (1938) The Gaunt Stranger (1938) a.k.a. The Ringer The Terror (1938) Dangerous to Know (1938) made in U.S. Mr. Reeder in Room 13 (1938) a.k.a. The Mystery of Room 13 The Mind of Mr. Reeder (1939) a.k.a. The Mysterious Mr. Reeder in U.S. The Flying Fifty-Five (1939) The Four Just Men (1939) a.k.a. The Secret Four The Dark Eyes of London (1939) a.k.a.The Human Monster; starred Bela Lugosi The Case of the Frightened Lady (1940) a.k.a. The Indian Scarf The Green Archer (1940) serial The Missing People (1940) The Door with Seven Locks (1940) a.k.a. Chamber of Horrors The Missing Million (1942) The Calendar (1948) The Squeaker (1949) made for BBC-TV The Ringer (1952) Working title was The Gaunt Stranger
Edgar Wallace Mysteries (1960–1965)
This was a series of British B-Pictures, produced at Merton Park Studios for the Anglo-Amalgamated production company. There were 47 films in the series, all released theatrically between 1960 and 1965.
Harry Alan Towers films Harry Alan Towers produced four Edgar Wallace films in the early 1960s that were international co-productions with Germany: Death Drums Along the River (1963) released in USA as Sanders Coast of Skeletons (1965) a.k.a. Sanders and the Ship of Death Circus of Fear (1966) (aka Psycho-Circus) based on the novel Again the Three Just Men Five Golden Dragons (1967) this film was only periphally connected to Edgar Wallace, in that one of Wallace's characters (Commissioner Sanders) was inserted into the film's storylineEdwards, Matthew Klaus Kinski, Beast of Cinema: Critical Essays and Fellow Filmmaker Interviews McFarland, 22 Jul 2016
British television series The Four Just Men was a series of 39 25-minute films/episodes produced by Sapphire Films for ITV in 1959. The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder was a British television series (1968-1971) with 16 episodes, based on Edgar Wallace's stories.. Retrieved on 14 December 2015
German Krimi adaptations The crime films produced by the West German company Rialto Film between 1959 and 1972 form their own subgenre known as Krimis (abbreviation for the German term Kriminalfilm (or Kriminalroman)). Aside from the Rialto productions, other Edgar Wallace adaptations in a similar style were made by the West Germans Artur Brauner and Kurt Ulrich as well as the British producer Harry Alan Towers.
Early history of the German Edgar Wallace movies As early as the silent movie era, German film producers discovered that the novels of Edgar Wallace were easily adapted to the screen. The first German production of an Edgar Wallace story, Der große Unbekannte (The Unknown), was filmed in 1927. Wallace personally visited the production of the next movie Der rote Kreis (The Crimson Circle, 1929) in Berlin. The Crimson Circle was trade-shown in London in March 1929 in the Phonofilm sound-on-film system.
In 1931, Karel Lamač adapted The Squeaker, one of Wallace's best known works, as the sound film Der Zinker. Adaptations of The Ringer (Der Hexer, 1932) by Lamarc and The Double (Der Doppelgänger, 1934) by E. W. Emo followed. From 1934 to the mid-1950s, no German-language films based on works by Edgar Wallace were produced. Then, in the mid-1950s, the West German film distributor Constantin Film began plans for a series of films. Due to the perceived unpopularity of the crime genre in West Germany at that time, however, no film producer willing to take such a risk could be found, delaying the project until 1959.
The 1960s German "Krimi" film movement In 1959, the Danish company Rialto Film, with its producer Preben Philipsen produced Der Frosch mit der Maske (based on The Fellowship of the Frog), targeting the West German film market. The film (a.k.a. The Face of the Frog) turned out to be surprisingly successful and started a veritable fad of crime movies, known as Krimis (abbreviation for the German term "Kriminalfilm" or "Kriminalroman") which lasted until significant changes in the direction of the West German film industry in the early 1970s occurred. Rialto soon acquired the exclusive rights to nearly all the Wallace novels, founded a West German subsidiary company and, unconcerned by the many copycat productions by others, moved towards the artistic and commercial peak of the series in the early 1960s.
There were a total of 39 West German movies based on works by Edgar Wallace from 1959 to 1972. Beginning with Der grüne Bogenschütze (The Green Archer, 1960/61), the leading examples of the genre were produced by Horst Wendlandt and directed by Alfred Vohrer or Harald Reinl. Following Der Bucklige von Soho (1966), all of Rialto's Krimi movies were shot in color. Additionally, the original novels were increasingly disregarded in favour of original stories. From 1969 onwards, Rialto Film started four co-productions with Italian producers to minimize costs. Audiences began to lose interest in the genre, which ended with Das Rätsel des silbernen Halbmonds in 1972.
The German Edgar Wallace "Krimi" filmography (1959–72) These films were all produced (or co-produced) by Rialto Film of West Germany (Horst Wendlandt) unless noted otherwise. (Rialto co-produced 32 of the following 39 West German films.) Where the German title is different from the English release print, a translation of the German title is also provided.
Year German Film Title English Release Title(s) Produced by Director1959 Der Frosch mit der Maske (The Frog With the Mask) Face of the Frog (based on the novel Fellowship of the Frog) Harald Reinl1960 Der rote Kreis (The Red Circle)The Crimson Circle Jürgen RolandDer RächerThe Avenger Kurt Ulrich-Film Karl AntonDie Bande des Schreckens (The Gang of Terror)The Terrible People (a.k.a. Hand of the Gallows) Harald Reinl1961 Der grüne Bogenschütze The Green Archer Jürgen RolandDie toten Augen von London Dead Eyes of London (based on the novel Dark Eyes of London) Alfred VohrerDas Geheimnis der gelben Narzissen (Mystery of the Yellow Daffodil)The Devil's Daffodil (based on the novel The Daffodil Mystery) Ákos RáthonyiDer Fälscher von London The Forger of London (based on the novel The Forger"Filmportal: Der Fälscher von London". Retrieved 3 August 2016.) Harald ReinlDie seltsame Gräfin The Strange Countess Josef von Báky1962 Das Rätsel der roten Orchidee The Puzzle of the Red Orchid (aka Secret of the Red Orchid) Helmut AshleyDie Tür mit den sieben Schlössern The Door with Seven Locks Alfred VohrerDas Gasthaus an der Themse (The Inn on the Thames) The Inn on the River (based on the novel The Indian Rubber Man)"Filmportal: Das Gasthaus an der Themse". Retrieved 10 November 2014. Alfred Vohrer1963 Der Fluch der gelben Schlange The Curse of the Yellow Snake (based on the novel The Yellow Snake) CCC-Film/ Artur Brauner Franz Josef Gottlieb Der ZinkerThe Squeaker Alfred VohrerDer schwarze Abt The Black Abbot Franz Josef GottliebDas indische TuchThe Indian Scarf Alfred VohrerZimmer 13Room 13 Harald ReinlTodestrommeln am großen Fluß Death Drums Along the River (a.k.a. Sanders) Harry Alan Towers Lawrence Huntington1964 Die Gruft mit dem Rätselschloß The Curse of the Hidden Vault (based on the novel Angel Esquire) Franz Josef Gottlieb Der Hexer The Ringer (a.k.a. The Mysterious Magician) Alfred Vohrer Das Verrätertor Traitor's Gate Freddie Francis Sanders und das Schiff des Todes (Sanders and the Ship of Death)Coast of SkeletonsHarry Alan Towers Robert Lynn1965 Neues vom Hexer Again the Ringer Alfred VohrerDer unheimliche Mönch The Sinister Monk (adapted from the play The Terror) Harald Reinl1966 Der Bucklige von Soho The Hunchback of Soho Alfred VohrerDas Geheimnis der weißen Nonne (Mystery of the White Nun) The Trygon Factor (based on the novel Kate Plus Ten) Cyril FrankelDas Rätsel des silbernen Dreieck (Puzzle of the Silver Triangle) Circus of Fear (a.k.a. Circus of Terror and Psycho-Circus); based on the novel Again the Three Just MenHarry Alan Towers John Llewellyn Moxey1967 Die Blaue Hand (The Blue Hand) Creature with the Blue Hand; re-edited in 1987 as The Bloody Dead with added gore by producer Sam Sherman Alfred VohrerDer Mönch mit der Peitsche The College Girl Murders Alfred VohrerFive Golden Dragons Harry Alan Towers Jeremy Summers1968 Der Hund von Blackwood Castle The Hound of Blackwood Castle (a.k.a. The Monster of Blackwood Castle) Alfred VohrerIm Banne des Unheimlichen (In the Spell of the Unknown) The Hand of Power; a.k.a. The Zombie Walks (based on the novel The Hand of Power) Alfred VohrerDer Gorilla von Soho The Gorilla of Soho (a.k.a. The Gorilla Gang) Alfred Vohrer1969 Der Mann mit dem Glasauge The Man with the Glass Eye (a.k.a. Terror on Half Moon Street) (working title was The Cruel Doll) Alfred VohrerDas Gesicht im Dunkeln (The Face in the Dark) Double Face (A doppia faccia) ; a.k.a. Puzzle of Horrors Riccardo Freda1971 Der Teufel kam aus Akasava The Devil Came from Akasava (based on the story Keeper of the Stone)CCC-Film/ Artur Brauner Jesus FrancoDie Tote aus der Themse (The Body in the Thames) Angels of Terror (U.S.) Harald Philipp1972 Das Geheimnis der grünen Stecknadel (The Secret of the Green Pin)What Have You Done to Solange?/ Cosa avete fatto a Solange?); a.k.a. The School That Couldn't Scream (falsely promoted as an Edgar Wallace film) Massimo DallamanoDas Rätsel des silbernen Halbmonds (Puzzle of the Silver Half Moons) Seven Blood-Stained Orchids/ Sette orchidee macchiate di rosso (falsely promoted as an Edgar Wallace film) Umberto Lenzi
Style in 1960s "Krimis" films The typical Krimi movie of the 60s contains a number of distinct stylistic traits, which not only makes the films a true series, but – seen in context with other, similar West German crime movies of that time – marks them as part of a true film subgenre as well.