Name: The Four Just Men
Genre: Crime
Rating: 6.3
Cast: Cecil Humphreys, Teddy Arundell, Charles Croker-King

Solid Filming of a Classic Bestselling Novel

A brisk adaptation of Edgar Wallace's 1905 yarn about a group of patrician social agitators using threats of shocking violence to right wrongs still only too characteristic of modern Britain a hundred years later.

It meanders, and the acting by an all-male cast is merely competent for the most part (with the possible exception of Charles Croker-King hamming it up as weak link Thery), but George Ridgwell's direction keeps things ticking over nicely, and Alfred Moses's photography more than simply competent, especially his wintry location work on the streets of London (which appear rather hazy due to the heavily polluted air the era was notorious for; while the breath of one of the characters visible in what is supposedly a book-lined study betrays the fact that the scene was really shot in a corner of a poorly heated soundstage).

The basic plot has been recycled by the likes of 'The Star Chamber' (1983); although Wallace's vigilantes allow their quarries to live if they agree to mend their ways. Considering the increasing social inequalities still being lovingly nurtured by today's political establishment (as recently depicted in Ken Loach's 'I Daniel Blake'), we probably need four more Just Men more than ever nearly a hundred years later; although it's hard to imagine the British press responding so nonchalantly to death threats to one of today's captains of industry.

It's extraordinary that this film could make heroes of what are presumably anarchists attempting to right capitalist wrongs at the very time when Russia had just fallen to the Bolsheviks and Bulldog Drummond was gathering together his own gang of vigilantes to fight off swarthy foreigners inciting British workers to rise up against their exploiters.

The crime genre features criminal activities, investigations, law enforcement, crimes, and the pursuit of justice. Crime stories often revolve around the planning, execution, and consequences of criminal acts, as well as the efforts to solve and prevent such acts. They explore various aspects of criminal behavior, motives, and the moral dilemmas faced by both perpetrators and those seeking to uphold the law.

James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)

A gang forces rich men to donate to a charity and are betrayed by a Spanish member.

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood's perfect pairs.

Hollywood Power Couples

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood&#39;s perfect pairs.

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

The Four Just Men

Photos

Top Cast7

User reviews1

Related interests

Storyline

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed