Stranglers Of Bombay (1959)

Set in early 19th century India while under British rule, a captain (Guy Rolfe) in the East India Company investigates the thousands of disappearances of natives while the local British merchants complain of their caravans vanishing without a trace. It's the Thuggee cult, who worship the goddess Kali and do her bidding which is to kill the infidels bloodlessly hence strangling them with silk scarves, behind it all. This Hammer mixture of adventure and horror boasts that it is based on facts but the execution is uneven. The characters often behave stupidly and without logic which detracts from the genuine suspense. Hammermeister Terence Fisher directs efficiently from a script by David Zelag Goodman (STRAW DOGS) and the striking black and white wide screen (MegaScope) lensing is by Arthur Grant (QUATERMASS AND THE PIT) with Surrey and Buckinghamshire substituting for India. It's very likely that this film was seen by Steven Spielberg whose INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM appears to be influenced by it. With Allan Cuthbertson doing his usual smug act, Jan Holden, Andrew Cruickshank, George Pastell and Marne Maitland.