''Take My Life'' is a 1947 British crime film directed by Ronald Neame and starring

Hugh Williams Hugh Anthony Glanmor Williams (6 March 1904 – 7 December 1969) was a British actor and dramatist of Welsh descent. Early life and career Hugh Anthony Glanmor Williams (nicknamed "Tam") was born at Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex to Hugh Dafydd Anth ...

, Greta Gynt and Marius Goring. It was adapted from Winston Graham's 1947 novel of the same name. It was shot at

Pinewood Studios Pinewood Studios is a British film and television studio located in the village of Iver Heath, England. It is approximately west of central London. The studio has been the base for many productions over the years from large-scale films to t ...

and on location at

York railway station York railway station is on the East Coast Main Line serving the city of York, North Yorkshire, England. It is north of and on the main line it is situated between to the south and to the north. , the station is operated by London North Ea ...

. The film's sets were designed by the art directors John Bryan and Wilfred Shingleton

Plot

Nicholas "Nicky" Talbot attends the London debut of his wife, opera singer Philippa Shelley, at

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist si ...

. After her successful performance, Nicky runs into former girlfriend Elizabeth Rusman backstage, a musician in the orchestra, who asks for his help. She gives him her address (and keeps his personalised pencil) before Philippa appears. At home, Nicky and a jealous Philippa quarrel over Elizabeth. When Philippa throws an object that strikes her husband in the forehead, he leaves in a huff. The scene then shifts to a courtroom, where the prosecuting counsel reveals that Nicky is on trial for the strangulation of Elizabeth that night. A flashback shows the murderer setting fire to the body. When the killer leaves the flat, he conceals his face from a man using a handkerchief pressed to his forehead, leading the police to assume he has been injured there. Also, the pencil is found at the scene of the crime. The police take Nicky into custody. Philippa goes to see Elizabeth's mother in Holland, then to an employment agency and Elizabeth's acquaintances, without any progress. Inspector Archer does, however, let her examine the dead woman's possessions and copy a bit of music. When Philippa plays it at home, she discovers that her nephew is already familiar with it. She sets out for a school in Scotland, having ascertained that one of the masters may be the composer. Mr. Fleming, the headmaster, is disturbed to recognise her from her photograph in the newspaper. He takes her on a tour of the school. She notices that the school group photograph for the previous year is missing. When she plays the tune on the chapel organ, she sees in a mirror that he is perturbed. Philippa obtains a copy of the photograph the next morning and sees Elizabeth in it. Fleming becomes aware of this and follows her aboard the train. He confronts her in her compartment. They are interrupted when a man enters, but when the newcomer reveals that he is deaf, Fleming confesses to the crime, though it was unpremeditated. Elizabeth had threatened to divorce him for cruelty, which would have ruined him. After the deaf man leaves, Fleming destroys the incriminating photograph and tries to throw Philippa from the train. The deaf man returns just in time. Fleming then jumps to his death. When Philippa goes to see Inspector Archer (still without proof), he introduces her to Detective Sergeant Hawkins, the "deaf" man who is not deaf at all and therefore heard Fleming's confession.

Cast

as Nicholas Talbot * Greta Gynt as Philippa Shelley * Marius Goring as Sidney Fleming * Francis L. Sullivan as Prosecuting Counsel * Henry Edwards as Inspector Archer * Rosalie Crutchley as Elizabeth Rusman * Marjorie Mars as Mrs. Newcombe * David Wallbridge as Leslie Newcombe * Herbert C. Walton as Mike Grieve *

Ronald Adam General Sir Ronald Forbes Adam, 2nd Baronet, (30 October 1885 – 26 December 1982) was a senior British Army officer. He had an important influence on the conduct of the British Army during the Second World War as a result of his long tenure ...

as Detective Sergeant Hawkins * Maurice Denham as Defence Counsel *

Eleanor Summerfield Eleanor Audrey Summerfield (7 March 1921 – 13 July 2001) was an English actress who appeared in many plays, films and television series. She is known for her roles in '' Laughter in Paradise'' (1951), '' Final Appointment'' (1954), '' Odongo'' ...

as Miss Carteret * Gerald Campion as Newspaper Seller (uncredited) * Leo Bieber as Parone * Nelly Arno as Mrs Rusman

References

External links

* {{Ronald Neame 1947 films 1940s crime thriller films British crime thriller films British courtroom films Films directed by Ronald Neame Films produced by Anthony Havelock-Allan Films set in London Films shot at Pinewood Studios Films scored by William Alwyn Films based on British novels Films about opera British black-and-white films 1947 directorial debut films 1940s British films 1940s English-language films