Fantastic!

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

A seemingly white girl is found murdered on Hampstead Heath. When it transpires she was mixed race, it opens up a myriad of characters from the deeply prejudiced to the professional Police detective who keeps an open mind all the way. The end? The very last person you'd expect, thereby making this another British Film Classic that shall hopefully be shown more often.

What should had been a routine murder mystery set in late 1950s London takes a more heated dimension under the hands of director Basil Dearden who introduces for the time the subject of race relations. London had race riots the year before this film was released.The film opens with the body of a white woman being found, Sapphire. Detectives Robert Hazard (Nigel Patrick) and Phil Learoyd (Michael Craig) investigate the case. They then meet her brother who has come down from Birmingham, Dr Robbins (Earl Cameron) who is black. Hazard assumes Sapphire was his half sister. Dr Robbins tells him that one parent was white the other black. Sapphire was pale enough to pass as white, he came out as more darker. When Learoyd sees him we can tell he does not like black people.Sapphire's boyfriend David Harris (Paul Massie) becomes a suspect, until just before her death he and his family did not know she was coloured and it turns out she was also pregnant.The film does not pull many punches regarding pervading prejudice of the time. Basil Dearden made a name for tackling difficult subjects, he would later make the film, 'Vicitm' that dealt with homosexuality. It is also an effective thriller although you do pick up enough clues to figure out who the killer is.

Quire controversial on it's release in 1959 because it dealt with subjects that few people were willing to admit existed let alone talk about at that time. Sapphire boasted a strong cast led by Nigel Patrick and Michael Craig, and directed by the prolific Basil Dearden. Harry Waxman's cinematography is very atmospheric and captures a drab,gritty London of quietly desperate people imprisoned by their prejudices and inability to adapt to changing times Dearden created an almost documentary style murder mystery with characters that seemed more pitiful than likable and the conclusion leaves you feeling somewhat sad and depressed.Fine performances by Bernard Miles, Earl Cameron, and Yvonne Mitchell add to the proceedings. Look for future stars Barbara Steele and Fenella Fielding in small roles.Time hasn't less the effect that Sapphire has on the viewer. Its as relevant today as it was in 1959.

I first saw the movie Sapphire on the Million Dollar Movie one night and I fell in love with it. I"m one for a good mystery movie and this is the one. From start to finish and when the movie did end I wanted more. The movie's ending will surprise you. The cast was excellent and actors Nigel Patrick Earl Cameron and Yvonne Mitchell were just great. I finally purchased this movie from one of those hard to find videos company on VHS. This movie needs to be released on DVD!!!! The racism in Sapphire was very brutal and honest. Here you had the tragic mulatto who is murdered I think of Imitation of Life where Susan Kohner's Sarah Jane is passing for white to the point she gets beaten up by her secret white lover, she was lucky!!!!!!!