fiction.wikisort.org - Movie

Mr. Denning Drives North is a 1951 British mystery film directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring John Mills, Phyllis Calvert and Sam Wanamaker.[2] The plot concerns an aircraft manufacturer (Mills) who accidentally kills the boyfriend (Herbert Lom) of his daughter (Moore) and tries to dispose of the body. Alec Coppel wrote the script, adapted from his own 1950 novel of the same title. It was made at Shepperton Studios.

Mr. Denning Drives North
UK theatrical poster
Directed by	Anthony Kimmins
Written by	Alec Coppel
Based on	Mr. Denning Drives North by Alec Coppel
Produced by	Anthony Kimmins Stephen Mitchell
Starring	John Mills Phyllis Calvert Herbert Lom Eileen Moore
Cinematography	John Wilcox
Edited by	Gerald Turney-Smith
Music by	Benjamin Frankel
Production company	London Film Productions
Distributed by	British Lion Films
Release date	18 December 1951 (1951-12-18)
Running time	93 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Box office	£70,197 (UK)[1]

Plot

Aircraft manufacturer Tom Denning (John Mills) is married to Kay (Phyllis Calvert); they have a daughter, Liz (Eileen Moore). Liz is dating Mados (Herbert Lom) who Tom "accidentally" kills by punching him. Instead of calling the police, Tom disposes of the body in a ditch. He tries to disguise the victim by placing a large overly-ornate ring on the victim's finger. Later, torn with his guilt, he goes back to pick up the body only to find that it has disappeared.

Cast

• John Mills as Tom Denning
• Phyllis Calvert as Kay Denning
• Eileen Moore as Liz Denning
• Sam Wanamaker as Chick Eddowes
• Herbert Lom as Mados
• Raymond Huntley as Wright
• Russell Waters as Harry Stoper
• Wilfrid Hyde-White as Woods
• Freda Jackson as Ma Smith
• Trader Faulkner as Ted Smith
• Sheila Shand Gibbs as Matilda
• Bernard Lee as Inspector Dodds
• Michael Shepley as Chairman of Court
• Ronald Adam as Coroner
• John Stuart as Wilson
• Hugh Morton as Inspector Snell
• David Davies as Chauffeur
• Ambrosine Phillpotts as Miss Blade

Original novel

Mr Denning Drives North

Author	Alec Coppel
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Genre	thriller
Publisher	Harrap
Publication date	1950

The film was based on a novel by Coppel that was published in late 1950.[3][4][5]

The Washington Post thought the Rolls-Royce "made more sense than any of the alleged human characters... a bit pretentious."[6]

Production

Film rights were bought by Alexander Korda's London Films.[7] John Mills' casting was announced in May 1951.[8] It was Mills' first film in almost two years.[9]

At one stage Dane Clark and Pat Roc were reportedly going to support Mills.[10]

Sam Wanamaker had been living in England since 1949 and was offered the part after writing to his agent from holiday in France asking if any jobs were going.[11]

Reception

Box office

The film performed poorly at the British box office.[1]

Critical reception

The New York Times wrote, "this little melodrama serves as still another reminder, from a country that jolly well knows how to exercise it, that restraint can work minor wonders...Persuasive and tingling, minus one false note... No doubt about it. The British have what it takes."[12]

References

External links

• Mr. Denning Drives North at IMDb
• Mr. Denning Drives North at Rotten Tomatoes
• Mr. Denning Drives North at the TCM Movie Database
• Review at Variety

---