Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Jack Hawkins | ... | ||
Anna Lee | ... | ||
Anna Massey | ... |
Sally Gideon
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Andrew Ray | ... |
P.C. Farnaby Green
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Howard Marion-Crawford | ... |
The Chief
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John Loder | ... |
The Duke
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Barry Keegan | ... |
The Driver
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Frank Lawton | ... |
Liggot
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Michael Trubshawe | ... |
Golightly
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Derek Bond | ... |
Det. Sgt. Eric Kirby
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Grizelda Harvey | ... |
Mrs. Kirby
(as Grizelda Hervey)
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Henry B. Longhurst | ... |
The Vicar
(as Henry Longhurst)
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Doreen Madden | ... |
Vicar's Daughter
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Jack Watling | ... |
The Curate
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Cyril Cusack | ... |
Herbert 'Birdie' Sparrow
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Scotland Yard Inspector George Gideon starts his day off on the wrong foot when he gets a traffic-violation ticket from a young police officer. From there, his 'typical day" consists in learning that one of his most-trusted detectives has accepted bribes; hunts an escaped maniac who has murdered a girl; tracks a young girl suspected of a payroll robbery and, then, helps break up a bank robbery. His long day ends when he arrives at home and finds that his daughter has a date with the policeman who gave him a ticket that morning. Written by Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>
This resoundingly ordinary film about the busy day of a Scotland Yard inspector is likely to be a disappointment to those seeking a great unknown film by a great film director. The themes and larger than life characters and scenery one tends to find in a Ford picture just aren't here. What we have instead is a likable Jack Hawkins playing a Scotland Yard detective with a busy life that gets in the way of his life at home. It's all pretty amusing, swiftly paced, and there are good bits throughout. Any of the above-average directors of in the US could have made this picture, and it would have looked pretty much the same. The one exception -- Jack Hawkins sidekicks act and behave in much the same way as John Wayne's sidekicks in his various Ford calvary movies.
Best way to deal with this one is ignore it was directed by John Ford. Think of it as one of those cop shows on BBC America, except that it's the 50s and therefore the family being ignored is NOT dysfunctional, just comically bemused.
Acting is all professional British -- all very good, efficient, and not terribly memorable when it is all over (except for Jack Hawkins, who does his usual good job here). And, because all the little mysteries must be wrapped up at the end of the day, none of those are especially complex or deep. So, at the end of the day, this is worth seeing, but not worth a film school thesis.