Design for Murder (1939): cast, story & where to watch
1939 · Film · ★ 5.7
Released in 1939, Design for Murder is a crime film directed by Roy Boulting, running about 60 minutes.
What it’s about. When a wealthy, lonely university music student is beaten and has his apartment trashed by a fellow dorm resident-bully and his gang, he goes mad, lures the bully into his room on pretense of forgiveness, slips him a paralyzing agent in a drink, throws him in a trunk and locks him in, and taunts the bully with the promise that he will be buried alive in the trunk. Only, once he gets his trunk and his prey to his country estate, the vengeful victim finds things keep going wrong...
Who’s in it. Design for Murder stars Manning Whiley as Bentley, the student, Barbara Everest as Ursula, Thorley Walters as Huey Frazer and Michael Drake as Grierson, the bully, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 5.7/10, Design for Murder has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Design for Murder page.
If you liked it. Fans of Design for Murder tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, The Godfather Part II and The Dark Knight.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Design for Murder (1939)?
- Streaming, rental and purchase options for Design for Murder change frequently. Check our where-to-watch page for the latest availability in your country.
- Is Design for Murder worth watching?
- Design for Murder holds an audience score of 5.7 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy crime. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Design for Murder?
- Design for Murder stars Manning Whiley, Barbara Everest, Thorley Walters, Michael Drake and Hay Petrie.
- When was Design for Murder released?
- Design for Murder was released in 1939, with a runtime of about 60 minutes.