To the Public Danger is a 1948 British drama short film directed by Terence Fisher and produced by John Croydon. It stars Dermot Walsh, Susan Shaw, Barry Letts, and Frederick Piper.[1]
| To the Public Danger | |
|---|---|
.png) Opening titles | |
| Directed by | Terence Fisher |
| Written by |
|
| Produced by | John Croydon |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography |
|
| Edited by | Graeme Hamilton |
| Music by | Doreen Carwithen |
Production company | Highbury Productions |
| Distributed by | General Film Distributors |
Release date |
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Running time | 43 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The film was made at Highbury Studios as a second feature for release by the Rank Organisation.[2] Like other Highbury productions, it offered acting opportunities for several of Rank's young contract stars. The film's sets were designed by Don Russell, although a number of the scenes were shot on location.
The screenplay, written by T.J. Morrison and Arthur Reid, was based on a 1939 radio play by Patrick Hamilton, who had been encouraged to write the story as part of a government road safety campaign. Hamilton had himself been knocked down by a drunk driver. The story was updated slightly, and represents the post-war malaise with the use of noirish sequences.[3] After making the film Fisher graduated to directing several more expensive productions for Gainsborough Pictures.
Synopsis
editWhile having a quiet drink together in a road house, a young working-class couple Fred and Nancy fall into the company of two raffish motorists including the self-confident Captain Cole. After a game of billiards and a number of drinks, they drive out on the road. While speeding along in the dark they hit what they think to be a man on a bicycle.
Although Fred wants to stop, Captain Cole insists on driving on. Nancy takes Cole's side and begins taunting Fred, who eventually manages to escape and raise the alarm. A police investigation reveals that nobody had been injured in the collision with the bike, which had belonged to a poacher who didn't report the accident. In the meantime, Cole, Nancy and the other passenger have suffered a crash of their own while drunken speeding, killing all three of them.
Cast
edit- Dermot Walsh as Captain Cole
- Susan Shaw as Nancy Bedford
- Barry Letts as Fred Lane
- Roy Plomley as Reggie
- Betty Ann Davies as barmaid
- Sydney Bromley as bar patron
- John Lorrell as police sergeant
- Sam Kydd as police driver
- Patricia Hayes as postmistress
- Frederick Piper as labourer
- Patience Rentoul as labourer's wife
- Cliff Weir as pub landlord
- Arthur Mullard as man standing near bar
- Barbara Murray as bit role
- Philip Saville as man in pub watching billiards game
- Constance Smith as girl in pub watching billiards game
Critical reception
editThe Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "This is a story with a twist to it which points a sad moral, but which as a film has little to distinguish it."[4]
References
edit- ^ "To the Public Danger". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ Chibnall & MacFarlane
- ^ Hutchings p.44-45
- ^ "To the Public Danger". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 15 (169): 139. 1 January 1948 – via ProQuest.
Bibliography
edit- Chibnall, Steve & McFarlane, Brian. The British 'B' Film. Palgrave MacMillan, 2009.
- Hutchings, Peter. Terence Fisher. Manchester University Press, 2001.
External links
edit
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