DARK MAN

Original British 11 inch x 17 inch Trade Advert from Kinematograph Weekly for the 1951 Jeffrey Dell Thriller THE DARK MAN starring Edward Underdown, Maxwell Reed, Natasha Parry, William Hartnell, Barbara Murray, Robert Long, Cyril Smith, Geoffrey Sumner, Sam Kydd and Harry Fowler.

At a farmhouse in a lonely wood, ruthless killer “The Dark Man” (Maxwell Reed) murders a petty criminal. He then shoots the taxi driver who drove him there, knowing he would be able to identify him. However, the murder is witnessed by a young actress, Molly (Natasha Parry), who is passing by. The Dark Man now has reason to silence her as well. When the police investigate the murder, Inspector Viner (Edward Underdown) is assigned to the case, and soon develops romantic feelings for Molly. Meanwhile, The Dark Man continues to stalk his prey, and is foiled in an attempt to strangle Molly at her home – but continues to pursue her. The climax comes with a desperate chase across a desolate landscape near The Old Lighthouse, at Dungeness on Romney Marsh in Kent.

Advert art by Eric Pulford (1915 – 2005). Having taken life classes at Leeds College of Art for 5 years Pulford was apprenticed as a commercial artist in 1931 to Gilchrist Bros a process house of 24 staff. Leslie Whitchurch, a partner in a Leicester based agency and also a part-time publicity manager for Rank, became aware of Pulford’s work and asked him to do some freelance work for him. Then in 1943 Rank invited Pulford to start a publicity department for them in London resulting in posters for “Henry V”, “Odd Man Out” and “Oliver Twist”. When the head of Downtons advertising agency, Charles Collins, died, Pulford was asked to take over. He became chairman and managing director but still spent most of his time designing posters. He retired in 1986. Pulford is responsible, either through his own artwork or design, for several hundred posters, some for classic films such as the ones already mentioned plus “Edge of the World”, “The Importance of Being Earnest”, “Genevieve”, “Reach for the Sky” and “A Night to Remember”. He is, without doubt, the most important force in British film poster design from the mid-1940s to the early 1980s.

The advert illustrates four double crown posters, all drawn by Eric Pulford, of Edward Underdown as Detective Inspector Jack Viner, Natasha Parry as Molly Lester, William Hartnell as the Superintendent of Police and Ernest Haines as Mostyn.

The advert is in very good condition with one vertical centre fold and minor warping.