The Scales of Justice
24 British featurettes based on criminal cases, introduced by Edgar Lustgarten.
The Scales of Justice is a collection of 24 short British films made between 1962 and 1967. They were produced for Anglo-Amalgamated at Merton Park Studios in London. The first 13 episodes were shot in black and white, while the remaining 11 were in colour. The last episode, *Payment in Kind*, was not Merton Park's final production; the studio continued making films after 1967.
Each featurette was based on a real criminal case and was introduced by the crime writer Edgar Lustgarten. The series took its name from the scales held by the statue of Justice, which sits atop the dome of London’s Central Criminal Court, the Old Bailey. In the opening narration, she is described as holding "in her right hand, the Sword of Power and Retribution, and in her left – The Scales of Justice." The first 13 episodes were narrated in their opening scenes by Michael Hordern.
The theme music for the series was composed by Johnny Douglas, and the final version was performed by The Tornados. This recording was later re-released as the B-side of their single "Telstar."
In the UK, the series became widely known when it aired as a television programme on various ITV regions during the 1970s. It later appeared on the channel Talking Pictures TV in July 2017. A complete two-disc DVD set of the series was released by Network in October 2012.
- type
- Film series
- episodes
- 24
- production_years
- 1962–1967
- studio
- Merton Park Studios
- distributor
- Anglo-Amalgamated
- format
- Black and white (first 13 episodes); colour (last 11 episodes)
- notable_contributors
- Edgar Lustgarten (introducer), Michael Hordern (narrator, first 13 episodes), Johnny Douglas (theme music composer), The Tornados (performers of end version of theme)
Lore & Background
The Scales of Justice was produced at Merton Park Studios in London, with the first 13 episodes filmed in black and white and the final 11 in colour. The final episode, Payment in Kind, was not Merton Park's final production; the studio continued making films after 1967. Each film was introduced by crime writer Edgar Lustgarten, and the opening scenes of the initial 13 episodes were narrated by Michael Hordern. The series title came from the statue of Justice atop the Old Bailey, described in the opening narration as holding 'the Sword of Power and Retribution' in her right hand and 'The Scales of Justice' in her left.
Reader's Guide
The Scales of Justice holds significance as a British cinema featurette series that bridged theatrical and television audiences, gaining wider recognition through ITV broadcasts in the 1970s. Its production at Merton Park Studios marked the end of that studio's output with the final episode, Payment in Kind. The series is notable for its consistent format—each episode based on a real criminal case—and for the involvement of Edgar Lustgarten, a well-known crime writer of the era. The theme music by Johnny Douglas, performed by The Tornados, added a distinctive pop-culture touch. The series' legacy includes its later DVD release and continued airings on specialty channels like Talking Pictures TV, ensuring its place in British film and television history as a concise, documentary-style crime anthology.
Did You Know?
- The final episode, Payment in Kind, was not Merton Park Studios' final production; the studio continued making films after 1967.
- The opening scenes of the first 13 episodes were narrated by Michael Hordern.
- The end version of the theme music was performed by The Tornados and released as the B side of their single 'Telstar'.
- The series was broadcast as a TV series in various ITV regions during the 1970s.
More in British film series 1-24
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