Sir Robert Marney (Walter Rilla) is visited by a gangster named Joe Legge (Richard Haussler). Marney and Legge have known each other for years and share a secret from 20 years ago. Legge had been a wanted man but since the statute of limitations has run out on his crimes, he feels comfortable returning to London.
Legge is planning a big heist and wants to store the stolen goods Marney’s huge mansion. He doesn’t tell him what or why. Legge is not above blackmail and threatens to ruin Marney’s reputation if he doesn’t comply. Marney is a member of parliament and any scandal, no matter how old, would ruin him. Legge tells Marney to meet him at the Club Highlow in the Soho district. He will be in room 13. He threatens to harm Marney’s daughter, Denise (Karin Dor), if he refuses. Sir John (Siegfried Schurenberg), from Scotland Yard, is aware that Legge is in town and, even though he can’t arrest him, has been keeping tabs on him. He is curious as to how Legge and Marney know each other.
Marney, not sure what to do, calls private detective Johnny Gray (Joachim Fuchsbrger) for advice. Gray decides to check out the Club Highlow so he takes Denise with him as a cover. While Johnny is checking out the club one of the strippers is killed. Her throat is cut with a straight razor. She is not the first woman to have had her throat slit. While all this is going on Marney has kept his appointment with Legge. Legge tells Marney that he needs to get rid of Gray. As long as Marney goes along, nothing will happen to Denise.
Marney fires Gray, but Gray refuses to go away. He knows Legge is getting ready to pull something big and there is still a serial killer loose.
“Room 13” AKA “Zimmer 13” was released in 1964 and was directed by Harald Reinl. It is a crime thriller and a krimi. The movie was a co-production between West Germany, France and Denmark and was based on the Edgar Wallace novel “Room 13”.
The movie spends so much time on the “heist” sub-plot of the film that it basically forgets the serial killer side of things until way later in the film. It also adds some silly scenes for the comic relief, Dr. Higgins, the police coroner, who is played by Eddi Arent. Apparently, Scotland Yard has official underwear. There is also that 20-year-old secret that has an impact on the movie that is not really explained until the end.
As far as krimis go it has the usual multiple sub-plots, but it isn’t as confusing as some of them. It’s a decent offering but not the best. It does have a somewhat interesting ending.
The film includes a brief scene with nudity in it. This earned the film an over 18 rating in Germany and probably led to it being the least popular of the Edgar Wallace films done by Rialto Films.