''On the Night of the Fire'', released in the United States as ''The Fugitive'', is a 1939 British

thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre ...

, directed by

Brian Desmond Hurst Brian Desmond Hurst (12 February 1895 – 26 September 1986) was a Belfast-born film director. With over thirty films in his filmography, Hurst has been hailed as Northern Ireland's best film director.Screening will honour 'NI's best film ...

and starring Ralph Richardson and

Diana Wynyard Diana Wynyard, CBE (born Dorothy Isobel Cox; 16 January 1906 – 13 May 1964) was an English stage and film actress. Life and career Born in Lewisham, South London, Wynyard began her career on the stage. After performing in Liverpool and Lon ...

. The film is based on the novel of the same name by F. L. Green. It was shot on location in

Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...

and was released shortly after the outbreak of World War II. It is regarded as an early example of British film noir, with the kind of subject matter and filming style which fell completely out of favour during the war years – when British studios felt that cinemagoers would want either light entertainment and

escapism Escapism is mental diversion from unpleasant or boring aspects of daily life, typically through activities involving imagination or entertainment. Escapism may be used to occupy one's self away from persistent feelings of depression or gener ...

or topical patriotic propaganda pieces – and would not be taken up again until the later 1940s. Film critic David Quinlan describes the film as "grim but gripping". Andrew Spicer, in his book ''European Film Noir'', writes: "A riveting psychological study. With its sustained doom-laden atmosphere, Krampf’s expressive cinematography, its adroit mixture of location shooting and Gothic compositions and Richardson’s wonderful performance as a lower middle-class Everyman, ''On the Night of the Fire'' clearly shows that an achieved mastery of film noir existed in British cinema".Spicer, Andrew. ''European Film Noir''. Manchester University Press, 2007, p.89

Plot

Struggling Tyneside barber, Will Kobling (Richardson), is in financial trouble. One evening, opportunistically and on impulse, he steals £100 from a factory where a window has been left open. He hopes the money will represent a new start for him and wife Kit (Wynyard). His hopes are dashed when Kit confesses to being in debt to the local draper, Pilleger (

Henry Oscar Henry Wale (14 July 1891 – 28 December 1969), known professionally as Henry Oscar, was an English stage and film actor. He changed his name and began acting in 1911, having studied under Elsie Fogerty at the Central School of Speech and Dram ...

), who has been pressuring her to settle it. Most of the stolen cash has to go on this. Pilleger banks the money, only for the police to inform him that the serial numbers of the notes match those stolen from the factory. He professes himself an innocent party, claiming not to know which of his customers they came from, and the police have to let the matter drop. Pilleger blackmails Kobling, promising silence in return for £3 per week. Kobling is horrified at this indefinite burden, but feels obliged to consent. Some time later, and facing the loss of his business through lack of ready cash, Kobling decides to challenge Pilleger. An opportunity presents itself when a fire breaks out, distracting the police and public. He confronts Pilleger and a fight breaks out, ending in Pilleger's death. The police suspect that Kobling is involved and use psychological tactics to break him down, but he remains grimly silent and sends Kit and their baby to stay with her sister. Kobling was seen at Pilleger's store on the night of his murder by Lizzie Crane (

Mary Clare Mary Clare Absalom (17 July 1892 – 29 August 1970) was a British actress of stage, film and television. Biography Daughter of George Alfred Absalom, Clare was educated at Wood Green secondary school, first worked in an office but a loan ...

), a well-known eccentric, who talks about what she saw. The populace shun Kobling and call for justice, but the police do not believe Lizzie's word will stand up as evidence. As they continue to put pressure on him, Kobling approaches breaking point. He finally cracks when he is told that Kit has been killed in a road accident.

Cast

* Ralph Richardson as Will Kobling *

as Kit Kobling *

Romney Brent Romney Brent (born Romulo Larralde; 26 January 1902 – 24 September 1976) was a Mexican actor, director and dramatist. Most of his career was on stage in North America, but in the 1930s he was frequently seen on the London stage, on television ...

as Jimsey Jones *

as Lizzie Crane *

as Pilleger * Dave Crowley as Jim Smith * Gertrude Musgrove as Dora Smith *

Frederick Leister Frederick Leister (1 December 1885 – 24 August 1970), was an English actor. He began his career in musical comedy and after serving in the First World War he played character roles in modern West End plays and in classic drama. He appeared in ...

as Inspector *

Ivan Brandt Ivan Brandt (1903–1972) was a British stage and film actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as ...

as Wilson *

Sara Allgood Sarah Ellen Allgood (30 October 1880 – 13 September 1950), known as Sara Allgood, was an Irish-American actress. She first studied drama with the Irish nationalist Daughters of Ireland and was at the opening of the Irish National Theatre Soc ...

as Charwoman *

Glynis Johns Glynis Margaret Payne Johns (born 5 October 1923) is a South African-born British former actress, dancer, musician and singer. Recognised as a film and Broadway icon, Johns has a career spanning eight decades, in which she appeared in more than ...

as Mary Carr *

Amy Dalby Amy Mary Dalby (3 January 1888 – 10 March 1969) was an English actress of stage and screen, often in kindly or eccentric spinster roles. Amy first acted at the age of six. Her final performance was in the 8 March 1969 episode "The Battle of G ...

as Hospital Nurse *

Irene Handl Irene Handl (27 December 1901 – 29 November 1987) was a British author and character actress who appeared in more than 100 British films. Life Irene Handl was born in Maida Vale, London, the younger of two daughters of an Austria-born father ...

as Neighbour *

Maire O'Neill Maire O'Neill (born Mary Agnes Allgood; 11 January 1886 – 2 November 1952) was an Irish actress of stage and film. She holds a place in theatre history as the first actress to interpret the lead character of Pegeen Mike Flaherty in John Mill ...

as Neighbour

References

External links

*
''On the Night of the Fire''
at BFI Film & TV Database

www.briandesmondhurst.org- official legacy website of the director with filmography including On the Night of the Fire
{{DEFAULTSORT:On the Night Of The Fire 1939 films 1930s psychological thriller films British thriller films Films directed by Brian Desmond Hurst British black-and-white films Films set in Newcastle upon Tyne Films shot in Tyne and Wear Films scored by Miklós Rózsa Films with screenplays by Patrick Kirwan Films based on British novels Film noir 1930s English-language films 1930s British films