OVERLOOKED FILM: THE TICKET OF LEAVE MAN (1937)

Pudgy Tod Slaughter made a career of playing the villain in a number of British melodramas, often in the most ham-handed way.  In The Ticket of Leave Man, Slaughter is "The Tiger," a thief who gleefully kills his victims.  Marjorie Taylor is the pretty May Edwards, who catches The Tiger's eye.  Her innocent bank clerk boyfriend Robert Brierly (played by John Warwick) is framed with counterfeit bank notes and suspected of murders actually committed by The Tiger.  Robert Adair is Hawkshaw the Detective.

Based on the 1863 play by Tom Taylor (which introduced the character of Hawkshaw the Detective -- played by Robert Adair in the film), The Ticket of Leave Man was adapted by H. F. Maltby with an assist from A. R. Rawlinson.  The film was directed by George King who helmed a number of "Quickie Quotas" in his early career.  (British law required a certain percentage of films shown in British movies theaters be made in England; these were often quickly made on low budgets, thus the "Quicky Quota.")

Some consider this film terrible, some consider it to be quite good, some consider it to be anti-Semitic, and some just get a joy out of watching Tod Slaughter ham it up.

BTW,   1)  a "ticket of leave" is a paper given to a prisoner after he serves his time; and 2)  the odds of actress Marjorie Tayllor being related to the 19th century playwright Tom Taylor are slim to none.

Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCOz5Jk3CBw