To the Public Danger

To the Public Danger
Opening titles
Directed byTerence Fisher
Written by
  • T.J. Morrison
  • Arthur Reid
Based onradio play by Patrick Hamilton
Produced byJohn Croydon
Starring
Cinematography
Edited byGraeme Hamilton
Music byDoreen Carwithen
Production
company
Highbury Productions
Distributed byGeneral Film Distributors
Release date
  • September 1948 (1948-09)
Running time
43 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

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]

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

While 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

Radio play

The film was based on a 1939 radio play by Patrick Hamilton.[4][5] His brother wrote the "reception was wonderful" and he received "huge fan mail" and "a number of abusive letters" due to its subject matter.[6] Val Gielgud called it "one of the very best of radio plays".[7]

The play was performed a number of times on radio and in the 1963 TV play The Man on the Bicycle.[8]

Critical reception

The 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."[9]

References

  1. ^ "To the Public Danger". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  2. ^ Chibnall & MacFarlane
  3. ^ Hutchings p.44-45
  4. ^ To the Public Danger 1939 radio program at genome
  5. ^ French, Sean (1993). Patrick Hamilton : a life. Faber and Faber. p. 146.
  6. ^ Hamilton, Bruce (1972). The light went out; the life of Patrick Hamilton by his brother. Constable. p. 90-91.
  7. ^ Gielgud, Val (1965). Years in a Mirror. Bodley House. p. 59.
  8. ^ The Man on the Bicycle at IMDb
  9. ^ "To the Public Danger". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 15 (169): 139. 1 January 1948. ProQuest 1305815061.

Bibliography

  • Chibnall, Steve & McFarlane, Brian. The British 'B' Film. Palgrave MacMillan, 2009.
  • Hutchings, Peter. Terence Fisher. Manchester University Press, 2001.
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