| To the Public Danger | |
|---|---|
.png) Opening titles | |
| Directed by | Terence Fisher |
| Written by |
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| Produced by | John Croydon |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography |
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| 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 |
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.
The film was made at Highbury Studios as a second feature for release by the Rank Organisation. 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. 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
- 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
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."
References
- "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
- Chibnall, Steve & McFarlane, Brian. The British 'B' Film. Palgrave MacMillan, 2009.
- Hutchings, Peter. Terence Fisher. Manchester University Press, 2001.