Design for Murder
Trunk Crime
Synopsis
When a wealthy, lonely university music student is beaten and has his apartment trashed by a fellow dorm resident-bully and his gang, he goes mad, lures the bully into his room on pretense of forgiveness, slips him a paralyzing agent in a drink, throws him in a trunk and locks him in, and taunts the bully with the promise that he will be buried alive in the trunk. Only, once he gets his trunk and his prey to his country estate, the vengeful victim finds things keep going wrong...
Top Cast
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Manning Whiley
Bentley, the student
Barbara Everest
Ursula
Thorley Walters
Huey Frazer
Michael Drake
Grierson, the bully
Hay Petrie
Old Dan
David Keir
Quiney
Tom Gill
One of Grierson's Friends
Lewis Stringer
One of Grierson's Friends
Ian Fulton
One of Grierson's Friends
Geoffrey Gabriel
One of Grierson's Friends
Eileen Bennett
Eve
Howard Douglas
The Landlord
Pamela Sharpe
Annie, the barmaid
Charles Stephenson
The porter
Patch
The Dog
Release History & Theatrical Window
January 1, 1940
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Roy Boulting
- Screenplay & Story
- Edward Percy, Reginald Denham, Francis Miller
- Original Title
- Trunk Crime
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 0m
- Production Studios
- Charter Films Ltd.
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Roy Boulting
Edward Percy, Reginald Denham, Francis Miller
D. P. Cooper
Roy Boulting
John Boulting
Department Leadership Roster
Roy Boulting
Director
D. P. Cooper
Director of Photography
John Boulting
Producer
Roy Boulting
Editor
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Design for Murder.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About Design for Murder
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Design for Murder about?
When a wealthy, lonely university music student is beaten and has his apartment trashed by a fellow dorm resident-bully and his gang, he goes mad, lures the bully into his room on pretense of forgiveness, slips him a paralyzing agent in a drink, throws him in a trunk and locks him in, and taunts the bully with the promise that he will be buried alive in the trunk. Only, once he gets his trunk and his prey to his country estate, the vengeful victim finds things keep going wrong...
Who directed Design for Murder?
Design for Murder was directed by Roy Boulting.
Who stars in Design for Murder?
The principal cast of Design for Murder includes Manning Whiley, Barbara Everest, Thorley Walters, Michael Drake, Hay Petrie.
When was Design for Murder released and how long is it?
Design for Murder was released in 1939 with a total runtime of 1h 0m.