Necrotongue

And once again, Netflix confused me by putting this issue in the crime movies category. I perceived the film more as a social drama, although I can't say I didn't enjoy it. True, there were some clichés here and there, but it wasn't anything that would significantly ruin the overall impression for me. The positives were prevalent this time, with the greatest being the unmistakably eager criminal played by Herbert Lom. I can't shake the feeling that Mr. Lom truly enjoyed these villainous roles, and if that wasn't the case, he hid it very well. The perennially unlucky Tommy may have had a great name, but he really got on my nerves throughout the entire time, and although many would excuse him due to inappropriate family and social background, I don't buy that excuse because many more people lived / live in such situations and still don't take a similar path. Why do you think that is? / Lesson: Here is where the old saying fits: "One gets what one deals with..."

Just confirmed that movies age similarly to people. Some maintain a sparkle and youthful vitality even in old age, while others age gracefully, making the viewer aware of their age, but one feels honored to have seen such a film. And then there are matters where the ravages of time have taken an ugly toll. People who are in a similar situation are usually emaciated (even undernourished), with irreparably bent spines, pigmented spots covering wrinkled skin, and often having difficulty walking and breathing. And I had a similar feeling about this more or less theatrical performance, which had nothing to offer me today in terms of story or acting performances. Not that Tod Slaughter wasn't a quality actor, but some of his facial creations seemed too exaggerated for me. / Lesson: It's strange what you can find on Netflix in the "British Crime Films" drawer.

Alright, I might’ve gone a bit overboard with the rating, but what can I say? Even though The Shop at Sly Corner is a crime drama with a bit too much emotional manipulation for my taste, I really enjoyed it. The story itself was solid, but what really stood out were the performances, especially Kenneth Griffith, who’s been popping up in a few old films I’ve watched lately, and Muriel Pavlow, who played Margaret. She was just so likable in her role, and honestly, at first, she was the only character I found myself rooting for. But as the plot moved along, I realized something unusual—I wasn’t on the side of law and order this time. In fact, I caught myself daydreaming about exacting a little "creative" revenge on a certain character (let's just say it wouldn’t be pretty). That level of emotional investment sealed the deal for me, and I couldn’t resist bumping the rating up a notch.