Once a Sinner ** (1950, Pat Kirkwood, Jack Watling, Joy Shelton, Sydney Tafler, Thora Hird) – Classic Movie Review 12,682

Lewis Gilbert’s 1950 British film Once a Sinner stars Pat Kirkwood as a good time girl married to a bank clerk (Jack Watling), who chucks her out when he finds she has a child with her crooked ex-lover (Sydney Tafler). 

Director Lewis Gilbert’s 1950 British film Once a Sinner is a thinly plotted but atmospheric and attractive B-movie noir drama starring Pat Kirkwood as good time girl Irene James (Kirkwood), whose old accomplice in crime, her crooked ex-lover Jimmy Smart (Sydney Tafler), menaces her lowly bank clerk husband John Ross (Jack Watling).

After John and Irene are quickly married, he learns she has a child by Jimmy and tells her it’s over between them. Irene goes back to Jimmy and they move to London, but John realises he still wants Irene…

Once a Sinner is perhaps the wrong material for the vivacious musical comedy star Kirkwood, but the performances still sparkle, and the film is taken at enough speed to keep up a decent level of interest in a short running time of 78 minutes. Gilbert directs confidently and well. There is a nice cast of old reliables, too, to brighten things up quite a lot (especially Sydney Tafler as Jimmy Smart, Thora Hird as Irene’s mother Mrs James and Joy Shelton as Vera Lamb).

David Evans writes the screenplay from Ronald Marsh’s novel Irene. There’s some flavourful shooting at Southend-on-Sea, Essex, though it is mainly shot at The Gate Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. It has dated, obviously, but appealingly. Time is on its side, and over the years it has acquired much period charm. Pat, Joy, Jack, Syd, Thora. What’s not to like?

The cast are Pat Kirkwood as Irene James, Jack Watling as John Ross, Joy Shelton as Vera Lamb, Sydney Tafler as Jimmy Smart, Thora Hird as Mrs James, Humphrey Lestocq as Lewis Canfield, Gordon McLeod as Mr Ross, Edith Sharpe as Mrs Ross, Harry Fowler as Bill James, Danny Green as Ticker James, Stuart Lindsell as Inspector Rance, Olive Sloane as Lil, George Street as Bridges, Rose Howlett as Mrs Lamb, Charles Paton as Mr Lamb, Stuart Latham as Charlie, Cameron Hall as Mr Barker, Nora Gordon as Mrs Barker, and Norman Williams as barman Fred.

Once a Sinner is directed by Lewis Gilbert, runs 78 minutes, is made by John Argyle Productions, is released by Butcher’s Film Service (UK) and J H Hoffberg Company (US), is written by David Evans, is shot in black and white by Len Harris and Frank North, is produced by John Argyle, and is scored by Ronald Binge.

Sydney Tafler (31 July 1916 – 8 November 1979) .

Sydney Tafler’s sister Hylda in 1952 married the director Lewis Gilbert, who frequently directed him in films, right up to his last film appearance, The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). Tafler was married to the actress Joy Shelton from 1941 until his death on 8 November 1979.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,682

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