Appointment in London *** (1953, Dirk Bogarde, Ian Hunter, Dinah Sheridan) – Classic Movie Review 10,342

Director Philip Leacock’s just above-par 1952 story of a wartime bomber mission Appointment in London stars Dirk Bogarde as war-shocked, insubordinate British officer Wing Commander Tim Mason, who takes off in 1943 on a risky flight raid with his buddy Mac (William Sylvester), contravening his grounding by superior officers during World War Two.

Set in an RAF Bomber Command squadron, the story is of the wing commander’s bid to finish his third and final tour of 30 operations before his retirement.

Dinah Sheridan also stars as Naval Officer Eve Canyon, the widowed Wren officer who befriends both Tim Mason (Bogarde) and Pam (Anne Leon), the widow of airman Pilot Officer Peter Greeno aka The Brat (Bryan Forbes), who is killed in battle.

This sincere, intelligently written and carefully directed war adventure drama, is gripping, compelling and persuasive, though Bogarde seems restricted in a wing commander’s uniform and the story is sometimes stiffly handled.

Bogarde appears for the only time in a movie with his real-life lifelong companion and partner Anthony Forwood (as Sandy the Navigation Officer).

John Wooldridge wrote the original story, participated in writing the screenplay and also wrote the film score. The music is performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra with him as conductor. As an RAF bomber pilot, he flew 108 operational sorties over Europe. He became a successful film composer but was killed in a car accident in 1958.

Three of the Lancaster B VII bombers used in the film, also appeared in The Dam Busters two years later.

Also in the cast are Ian Hunter as Mason’s commanding officer Group Captain Logan, Bill Kerr as Australian character Flight Lieutenant Bill Brown, Bryan Forbes, William Sylvester, Charles Victor, Anne Leon, Richard Wattis, Terence Longden, Anthony Forwood, Sam Kydd, Donovan Winter, Walter Fitzgerald, Campbell Singer, Don Sharp, Anthony Shaw, Tom Walls Jr, Harold Siddons, Arnold Bell, Allan McClelland, Peter Rendall, Michael Ripper, Eric Currie, Desmond Roberts, Gillian Maude, John Colicos, John Fabian, Edward Evans, Stephen Vercoe, John Martin, Carl Jaffe, Carl Duering, Wolf Frees and Lloyd Lamble.

Appointment in London is directed by Philip Leacock, runs 96 minutes, is made by Mayflower Productions, is released by British Lion Film Corporation (1953) (UK) and Associated Artists Productions (1955) (US), is written by John Wooldridge and Robert Westerby, based on an original story by John Wooldridge, is shot in black and white by Stephen Dade, is produced by Aubrey Baring and Maxwell Seton, is scored by John Wooldridge, and designed by Donald M Ashton.

It is shot at British Lion Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, and at RAF Upwood.

It ends: ‘This story is humbly dedicated to all those airmen who were unable to keep an Appointment in London.’

The producers gratefully acknowledged the assistance, advice and facilities provided by the Royal Air Force and the Air Ministry.

Appointment in London was known as Raiders in the Sky in the US.

Philip French (1933–2015).

[Spoiler alert] At the end of the mission, Mason (Dirk Bogarde), Eve (Dinah Sheridan), Brown (Bill Kerr) and Pam (Anne Leon) take a taxi to Buckingham Palace to receive an award from King George VI.

Michael Billington on fellow critic Philip French in 2015: ‘Flattered to be included in the same batch of OBEs as Philip two years ago, I ended a congratulatory telephone call with the jokey line “See you at the palace”. Quick as a flash he replied “As Dirk Bogarde said to Bill Kerr in Appointment in London in 1953.” A great man.’

Philip French (1933- 2015) was the film critic of The Observer from 1978 to 2013.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,342

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