The List of Adrian Messenger – Review

An unknown man creeps through night streets, finding his target building and going inside. He sabotages the elevator. As a man named John M. Devitt finally enters the lift he has been waiting for, it plummets from the top floor to the ground, killing him inside. The unknown man outside scratches John’s name off of his list, which is full of other cross out names. The only name left unmarked? Adrian Messenger.

Clearly this unknown assailant is killing off whomever winds up written down on his paper. Why? What connects the victims? Who is this killer? What could possibly be going on?

Our killer, the strange unknown man, rides up to Gleneyre, a historical home of the Bruttenholm family, in Great Britain. He surveils the land. The Marquis of Gleneyre (Brook) rides along with his family, leading a large group of people. They follow hounds, preparing for a fox hunt. Joining the hunt is Anthony Gethryn (Scott), a recently retired MI5 spy, along with his friend Adrian Messenger (Merivale), a semi-famous book writer.

Adrian asks for a bit of Anthony’s time. He asks a favor of Gethryn, handing him 10 names, occupations, and addresses. He wants him to ask about him, and to see if they are still living at those places. Clearly Adrian knows more than we do, as his list mirrors the same as the killer’s. Messenger has suspicions, which he deems preposterous, but is looking for confirmation one way or another.

Gethryn agrees to look into the names, and see if he reaches any conspiracy conclusion, though Messenger gives little information to go on. Off goes Messenger on a flight, but it is too bad that he does not recognize the strange man following him through customs. Disaster may be incoming…

As this strange murder mystery ratchets up, can the ex-MI5 spy Gethryn find any connections between all the now deceased men on Adrian’s list? Will he note the accidental deaths as murders? Who is the strange man that is staking out the Gleneyre manor, while following his victims and setting up their deaths? So many questions…

The List of Adrian Messenger is based on a book, and plays out as a decently interesting murder mystery. It has some nice and well-done plot devices, with decent make up and practical effects for its time. It is packed with a slew of excellent actors, which helps the intriguing plot pace along.

The film is soundly directed and the mystery stays interesting through the end. Some of the roles included in the film give their actors a lot to do, and in fun ways. The story works pretty well, and the script is solid. Technically sound and full of great performances, this is worth a look for mystery enthusiasts.

Evil does exist. Evil is.