To the Public Danger *** (1948, Dermot Walsh, Susan Shaw, Barry Letts, Frederick Piper) – Classic Movie Review 11,188

Director Terence Fisher’s neatly scripted, well handled, decently acted 1948 British black and white drama second feature film To the Public Danger is produced by John Croydon, and stars Dermot Walsh, Susan Shaw, Barry Letts, and Frederick Piper. It is that very rare thing, a film noir anti-drunk-driving public safety announcement.

The screenplay by T.J. Morrison and Arthur Reid is based on a 1939 radio play by Patrick Hamilton, who had been encouraged to write the hit and run drunk-driving story as part of a UK Government road safety campaign, after Hamilton had been knocked down by a drunk driver. But the story is updated slightly to suit the post-war UK malaise, and is also designed to make use of suitable noir-style sequences.

Four people with different backgrounds meet by chance at an English pub. After a game of billiards and a number of drinks, they drive out on the road, speeding along in the dark and hitting what they think to be a man on a bicycle. Each person faces a moral choice: Fred (Barry Letts) wants to stop, but his beautiful blonde brassy girlfriend Nancy (Susan Shaw) and bullying cocky boozer Captain Cole (Dermot Walsh) insist on driving on. Roy Plomley plays the sloshed Reggie. Nancy was holding the wheel while Cole was in the driving seat, lighting a cigarette.

The film was made at Highbury Studios as a second feature for release by the Rank Organisation’s General Film Distributors, offering acting work for several of Rank’s young contract stars.

The sets are designed by Don Russell, although some scenes were shot on location.

The cast are 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 in Bit Role, Philip Saville as Man in pub watching billiards game and Constance Smith as Girl in pub watching billiards game.

After three low-budget second features, Fisher then graduated to directing more expensive productions for Gainsborough Pictures.

Ironically Fisher was the victim of a hit and run accident on a trip home from the pub, one of two serious accidents he was in, which essentially ended his career in the 1970s.

Patrick Hamilton is best known for Gaslight, Rope and Hangover Square.

Roy Plomley also invented and presented the BBC radio series Desert Island Discs, which has been running continuously since 29 January 1942.

Here it is, the full film:

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,188

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com