Man on the Run is a 1949 British film noir directed, written and produced by Lawrence Huntington and starring Derek Farr, Joan Hopkins, Edward Chapman, Kenneth More and Laurence Harvey.[3]
| Man on the Run | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Lawrence Huntington |
| Written by | Lawrence Huntington |
| Produced by | Lawrence Huntington |
| Starring | Derek Farr |
| Cinematography | Wilkie Cooper |
| Edited by | Monica Kimick |
| Music by | Philip Green |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Associated British-Pathe |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 82 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £110,090[1] |
| Box office | £104,920 (UK)[2] |
Plot
editAn army deserter, still a fugitive in post-war Britain, wanders into a pawn shop robbery and finds himself mistakenly wanted for murder. Forced to go on the run while attempting to prove his innocence, he meets a war widow who helps him elude the police while he looks for the real criminals.
Cast
edit- Derek Farr as Sergeant Peter Burden, alias Brown
- Joan Hopkins as Jean Adams
- Edward Chapman as Chief Inspector Mitchell
- Laurence Harvey as Detective Sergeant Lawson
- Howard Marion-Crawford as 1st paratrooper
- Alfie Bass as Bert the barge mate
- John Bailey as Dan Underwood, burglar
- John Stuart as Detective Inspector Jim McBane
- Edward Underdown as Slim Elfey, burglar missing fingers
- Leslie Perrins as Charlie the fence
- Kenneth More as Corporal Newman the blackmailer
- Martin Miller as Tony, cafe proprietor
- Cameron Hall as Reg Hawkins
- Eleanor Summerfield as May Baker, Anchor Hotel
- Anthony Nicholls as station Inspector (Wapping)
- Valentine Dyall as Army Judge advocate
Reception
editBox office
editAs of 1 April 1950 the film earned distributor's gross receipts of £64,453 in the UK of which £35,947 went to the producer.[1]
Critical
editThe Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Although this film has good atmosphere provided by the authentic setting in Soho, it is singularly lacking in enterprise and originality, and fails to maintain the suspense and excitement of the opening sequence. This might have been a swift exciting chase film if lengthy moralising on the highly controversial subject of clemency for deserters had been avoided, and tasteful subtlety shewn by leaving the hero's reason for deserting to our imagination, instead of explaining his behaviour with maudlin sentimental excuses. The unnecessary inclusion of the court-martial after the climax of the film results in pure bathos."[4]
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Pacy thrills and spills if not much credibility."[5]
References
edit- ^ a b Chapman, J. (2022). The Money Behind the Screen: A History of British Film Finance, 1945-1985. Edinburgh University Press p 355.
- ^ Vincent Porter, 'The Robert Clark Account', Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Vol 20 No 4, 2000 p489
- ^ "Man on the Run". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
- ^ "Man on the Run". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 16 (181): 79. 1 January 1949 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 228. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.
External links
edit
 | This article related to a British film of the 1940s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |