Please Murder Me (1956) | Directed by Peter Godfrey

The story follows attorney Craig Carlson, whose life unravels when love, loyalty, and betrayal collide. Craig is secretly in love with Myra, the wife of his closest friend, Joe Leeds. When Joe is murdered, Myra is accused of the crime, and Craig, believing in her innocence and blinded by his feelings, defends her in court and wins an acquittal. After the trial he discovers that Myra has manipulated him and was involved with another man, Carl Holt. Realising he has been used and that justice has not been served, Craig constructs an intricate plan to reveal the truth, setting in motion a dark and fatal sequence of events.

Genre: Crime drama / Film noir

Director: Peter Godfrey

Peter Godfrey was a British-born stage actor and director who transitioned to Hollywood during the 1940s. With a background in theatre and a reputation for disciplined, character-driven storytelling, he directed a wide range of dramas, thrillers, and noirs. His Hollywood work often displayed a clean visual style and a focus on performance, and he collaborated with major studio talent as well as independent producers. By the mid-1950s he was an established craftsman whose films contributed to the closing years of the classic noir period.

Star Cast:

Raymond Burr as Craig Carlson

Angela Lansbury as Myra Leeds

Dick Foran as Joe Leeds

Lamont Johnson as Carl Holt

John Dehner as Detective Lt. Rocky Wall

Denver Pyle as Lou Kazarian

Audiences responded well to the taut storytelling and complex moral tensions, especially the emotionally charged triangle between Craig, Myra, and Joe. Critics highlighted Raymond Burr’s intense performance as a man torn between love and conscience, while Angela Lansbury earned notice for her cool and calculated portrayal of a woman capable of manipulating those closest to her. Although the film was not a major studio release, it became a recognised example of late-period noir and later gained wider visibility through public-domain circulation.

Fun Facts:

The film gained enduring popularity after entering the public domain, resulting in many restored and reissued prints.

Raymond Burr filmed this just before becoming widely known for his role as Perry Mason.

Angela Lansbury’s performance is frequently cited as one of her more notable early ventures into the femme fatale archetype.

The central love triangle and Craig’s elaborate plan for truth and justice distinguish the story from many straightforward courtroom dramas of the era.

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