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Submitted by Mark Fuller

The Bioscope
March 23rd 1932

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C.O.D. (1932)

5,967 ft

That astute critc, Mr Puff, laid down the axiom that a play is not to show occurrences that happen every day, but things just as strange that, though they never did, they might happen.

The occurrences with which Philip MacDonald and Ralph Smart deal in this mystery drama are certainly not those that happen every day, and they are sufficiently strange to justify the belief that they never did happen, The authors and director have hardly succeeded in presenting these unusual occurrences with such conviction.

Peter Craven, temporarily down and out, enters a West End mansion during the absence of the servants, and, while helping himself to refreshments, is confronted by a lovely girl, Frances, who offers to pay him to dispose of the body of her stepfather, who has just been murdered in circumstances likely to incriminate her.

Peter takes the body in a trunk to the cloakroom at St. Pancras, but on his return he and Frances are annoyed to find that the body has been put back in its original position in the library. Frances' cousin, Edward, arrives with a friend and sends for the police. While Frances is being cross-examined, Peter calls on a doctor, chloroforms him, and, going back to the house in his name, forces a confession at the point of a stethoscope from a confederate, who denounces Edward as the murderer. Peter and Edward then fight a revolver duel up to the top of the house, from which Edward falls to his death and Peter reurns to arrange a marriage with Frances, to take place presumably after the body has been finally disposed of and probate of his will granted.

Neither the juggling tricks with the body, which are not explained, nor Peter's exploits with chloroform and stethoscope convey a semblance of probability, though they provide the little humour the film possesses. Gerry Marsh plays Peter pleasantly and has a good recording voice. Hope Davey shows charm as Frances, and the supporting cast is better than the material provided.

Suitability; Second feature for uncritical audiences

Analysis
Story and dialogue	10 out of 20
Direction	7 1/2 out of 20
Acting	12 out of 20
Recording and photography	15 out of 20
General appeal	12 out of 20
Total	56 1/2 out of 100

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