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The Noose, released in the US as The Silk Noose, and adapted by Richard Llewellyn (How Green Was My Valley, None But The Lonely Heart) from his own play, has two reference points as a title in the movie at hand. The basic title refers to the would-be hero's plan to tighten a rope around gang-leader Sugiani's organization, and choke off his money; and the American title, in particular, could also refer to the silk stockings favored by "the Barber" (Hay Petrie) as a means of dispatching his victims. Despite the latter reference, the movie is surprisingly light-hearted at times, Joseph Calleia's portrayal of Sugiani and Nigel Patrick's performance as the cheerful Cockney spiv Gorman often evoking laughter -- when Sugiani isn't ordering someone killed. The result is a crime film that veers between comedy and drama, seriousness and jocularity -- with some moments of chilling suspense juxtaposed right up against comedy, high and low alike, kind a weird amalgam of Brenda Starr meets Bulldog Drummond, with a few moments that seem like prototypes of Monty Python's Cockney caricatures. It's a fun movie in its way, despite some grim moments, and strangely enough Stanley Holloway -- an expert at comedy -- provides some of the most consistently dramatic moments as Scotland Yard Inspector Kendall. Edmonmd T. Greville, a Nice-born director who divided his career between France and England, brings a suitably light, Gallic touch to the procedings so that they all work, regardless of the tone of the particular scene. Sadly, Noose was the final released film of Carole Landis, who gives a good performance throughout, and hardly seems -- at least, on camera -- to be in distress; she committed suicide in July of 1948. Note: In addition to the title-change to The Silk Noose, the American version of this movie was edited slightly, down to 72 minutes.