77 Park Lane (film)

77 Park Lane
Directed byAlbert de Courville
Screenplay byMichael Powell
Reginald Berkeley
Based onplay 77 Park Lane (1928) by Walter Hackett[1]
Produced byWilliam Hutter
StarringDennis Neilson-Terry
Betty Stockfeld
Malcolm Keen
Ben Welden
CinematographyGeoffrey Faithfull
Mutz Greenbaum
Edited byArthur Seabourne
Production
company
Famous Players Guild
Distributed byUnited Artists Corporation (UK)
Release dates
  • 2 July 1931 (1931-07-02) (London, UK)
Running time
82 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

77 Park Lane is a 1931 British thriller film directed by Albert de Courville and starring Dennis Neilson-Terry, Betty Stockfeld and Malcolm Keen.[2][3] It was written by Michael Powell and Reginald Berkeley based on a 1928 play of the same name by Walter Hackett, and was shot at Walton Studios. A French-language version, 77 Rue Chalgrin, and a Spanish-language version, Between Night and Day, were made at the same time.

Premise

At an upmarket gambling house in Park Lane, a woman tries to save her brother from ruin.

Cast

Reception

Kine Weekly wrote: "A comedy melodrama, adapted from the successful play, which has polished technique, and is well characterised. The direction, however, is not good, the main issues being rather obscured by irrelevant detail. The picture, nevertheless, has its bright moments, and carries many popular thrills. ... Dennis Neilson-Terry is not too well cast as Brent, is a little too facetious, but is easy in his manner, and has a likeable personality. Betty Stockfeld, who has charm and a most intriguing speaking voice, is altogether an admirable selection as Mary, while Malcolm Keen is an effectively sinister Sheringham. Ben Welden, Esmond Knight and John Turnbull are satisfactory in the major supporting roles. Albert de Courville's first essay into production has resulted in some ingenious and novel technical work, but the story telling is not too clear. However, there are a number of really gripping situations, and not a few surprising, while the comedy element is polished, and admirably balances the whole."[4]

Picture Show wrote: "Good melodramatic story that has not heen too well treated filmically. Dennis Neilson-Terry gives a polished performance in the leading role, and is well supported, but the direction robs the film of much of its effectiveness."[5]

References

  1. ^ Goble, Alan (1 January 1999). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 9783110951943 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "77 Park Lane". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  3. ^ "77 Park Lane (1932)". BFI. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009.
  4. ^ "77 Park Lane". Kine Weekly. 173 (1263): 49. 2 July 1931. ProQuest 2322690820.
  5. ^ "77 Park Lane". Picture Show. 26 (663): 11. 16 January 1932. ProQuest 1879653959.