''Black Memory'' is a 1947 British second feature ('B')

crime film Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as Drama (film and television), dr ...

directed by

Oswald Mitchell Oswald Albert Mitchell (1890 – April 27, 1949) was a British film director who directed several of the Old Mother Riley series of films.

and starring Michael Atkinson, Myra O'Connell and

Michael Medwin Michael Hugh Medwin (18 July 1923 – 26 February 2020) was an English actor and film producer. Life and career Medwin was born in London. He was educated at Canford School, Dorset, and the Institute Fischer, Montreux, Switzerland. He first ...

. It was written by

John Gilling John Gilling (29 May 1912 – 22 November 1984) was an English film director and screenwriter, born in London. He was known for his horror film, horror movies, especially those he made for Hammer Films, for whom he directed ''The Shadow of the ...

and featured the first screen appearance of

Sid James Sidney James (born Solomon Joel Cohen; 8 May 1913 – 26 April 1976) was a South African–British actor and comedian whose career encompassed radio, television, stage and screen. Noted for his distinctive laugh, he was best known for numerou ...

, known for the ''Carry On'' films. Also making her film acting debut was the Welsh-born actor, playwright, screenwriter and film director Jane Arden.

Premise

When his father is wrongly convicted and hanged for murder, son Danny poses as a juvenile delinquent, and ten years later manages to clear his father's name.

Cast

* Michael Atkinson as Danny Cruff * Myra O'Connell as Joan Davidson *

as Johnnie Fletcher *

as Eddie Clinton (credited as Sydney James) * Frank Hawkins as Alf Davidson * Jane Arden as Sally Davidson * Winifred Melville as Mrs. Davidson * Michael Conry as Carl Broach * Betty Miller as Mrs. Cruff * Arthur Brander as Rutford *

Gerald Pring Gerald Pring (1888–1970) was a British stage and film actor. He played a number of supporting roles in British and American films during the silent and sound eras. In 1930 he appeared in the West End in the comedy '' Almost a Honeymoon''.Wea ...

as Hawkins, the headmaster * Valerie Hulton as Miss Philpotts * Maurice Nicholas as Johnnie, as a boy * Malcolm Sommers as Danny, as a boy

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 until April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those wi ...

'' wrote: "The subject is grim and the settings and some of the characters are dark and murky. But this only adds to the reality – and realism and credibility are keynotes of this unpretentious but outstanding film. It is outstanding because of the sincerity of the acting – not only by the leads but by the whole cast – and because direction and photography also combine to make a gripping film. Michael Medwin as Johnny is so good that one comes to have a hearty distaste for the 'spiv' he creates. He is ably supported by Michael Atkinson as Danny and a well-chosen cast." ''

Picturegoer ''Picturegoer'' was a fan magazine published in the United Kingdom between 1911 and 23 April 1960. Background The magazine was started in 1911 under the name ''The Pictures'' and in 1914 it merged with ''Picturegoer''. Following the merge it was ...

'' wrote: "Both direction and acting are competent, and the working-class background rings true. Michael Medwin is generally convincing as the now almost inevitable 'spiv,' and Jane Arden is sound as a flighty girl he nearly ruins." In ''British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959'' David Quinlan rated the film as "good", writing: "Gripping street-level thriller." ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...

'' wrote: "Weak story, poor dialog; everyone's just kiddin' around."

References

External links

* {{Oswald Mitchell 1947 films British crime films British black-and-white films 1947 crime films Films directed by Oswald Mitchell 1940s English-language films 1940s British films English-language crime films