AllMovie

Based upon a detective novel of the same name by Philip MacDoanld, "The Rasp" refers to a wood-rasp, a file-like implement that is used to murder John Hoode, an important cabinet minister. In the best murder mystery tradition, all of the evidence points to only one possible suspect -- Alan Deacon (James Raglan), the secretary of the deceased official. The case seems airtight: Deacon's fingerprints are the only ones on the blood-soaked weapon, his alibi does not hold water (whereas the alibis of all other possible suspects are rock solid), he has a motive for the slaying, and he's physically capable of having committed the deed. Although things look black for him, reporter Anthony Gethryn(Claude Horton) has a hunch that all of the pieces are fitting together a little too neatly. He takes it upon himself to unravel the mystery and discover the real killer, and manages to fall in love along the way.