''Devil's Point'' (U.S. title: ''Devil's Harbor'') is a 1954 British

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed by

Montgomery Tully Montgomery Tully (6 May 190410 October 1988) was an Irish film Film director, director and writer. Film career Born in Dublin, Tully studied at the University of London, and originally entered the film industry as a director of documentaries. ...

and starring

Richard Arlen Richard Arlen (born Sylvanus Richard Mattimore, September 1, 1899 – March 28, 1976) was an American actor of film and television. Early days Arlen served in Canada as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. He later taught as ...

Greta Gynt Greta Gynt (born Margrethe Woxholt; 15 November 1916 – 2 April 2000) was a Norwegian dancer and actress. She is remembered for her starring roles in the British classic films '' The Dark Eyes of London'', '' Mr. Emmanuel'', ''Take My Life'', '' ...

and

Donald Houston Donald Daniel Houston (6 November 1923 – 13 October 1991) was a Welsh actor whose first two films—'' The Blue Lagoon'' (1949) with Jean Simmons, and '' A Run for Your Money'' (1949) with Alec Guinness—were highly successful. Later in his ...

. It was written and produced by Charles Deane as a

second feature A B movie, or B film, is a type of cheap, low-budget commercial motion picture. Originally, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, this term specifically referred to films meant to be shown as the lesser-known second half of a double feature, s ...

, one of two he made starring

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

actor Arlen; the other was '' Stolen Time'' (1955). The film was released in the United States by

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...

Plot

John 'Captain' Martin is a sailor who gets involved with a drug ring when he finds a package on a

harbour A harbor (American English), or harbour (Commonwealth English; see American and British English spelling differences#-our, -or, spelling differences), is a sheltered body of water where ships, boats, and barges can be Mooring, moored. The t ...

containing their stolen goods. He meets with a detective and rounds up the hoodlums.

Cast

as John 'Captain' Martin *

as Peggy Mason *

as Michael Mallard * Mary Germaine as Margaret Lane *

Edwin Richfield Edwin Richfield (11 September 1921 – 2 August 1990) was an English actor. Career Richfield starred in the television series '' Interpol Calling'' (1959). He was '' The Odd Man'' in Granada Television's series of the same name in the early 19 ...

as Daller * Michael Balfour as Bennett * John Dunbar as Sam *

Vincent Ball Vincent Martin Ball, (born 4 December 1923) is an Australian retired actor of film, theatre and radio active in the industry for nearly 55 years (with a brief return) firstly in Britain starting in the late 1940s and then his native Australia ...

as Williams * Arnold Adrian as Mark * Doreen Holliday as Susie Woods * Victor Baring as Enson *

Sydney Bromley Sidney Charles Bromley (24 July 1909 – 14 August 1987GRO Register of Deaths: AUG 1987 18 2293 WORTHING - Sydney Charles Bromley DoB = 24 Jul 1909 aged 78), credited as Sydney Bromley, was an English character actor. He appeared in more than s ...

as Enson *

Elspet Gray Elspet Jean Gray, Baroness Rix (née Gray; 12 April 1929 – 18 February 2013) was a Scottish actress, who first became known for her partnership with her husband, Brian Rix, and later was cast in many television roles in the 1970s and 1980s. ...

as June Mallard * Antony Viccars as Detective Inspector Hunt * Peter Bernard as Sam, pawnbroker * Stuart Saunders as Ryan *

Howard Lang Howard Lang (born Donald Yarranton; 20 March 1911 - 11 December 1989) was an English actor known for playing Captain William Baines in the BBC nautical drama ''The Onedin Line''. Early life Lang was born in Marylebone, London, the son of Edwar ...

as Marne

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: "A commonplace mystery story, with a confused plot, a certain elementary suspense and some artificially contrived excitements." ''

Kine Weekly ''Kinematograph Weekly'', popularly known as ''Kine Weekly'', was a trade paper catering to the British film industry between 1889 and 1971. Etymology The word Kinematograph was derived from the Greek ' Kinumai ', (to move, to be in motion, to ...

'' wrote: "The picture occasionally gets caught up in its own cross-currents, but choppy moments are few and it puts plenty of punch into its concluding episodes and climax. Richard Arlen is virile and likeable as Martin, Donalds Houston registers as the resolute Mallard and Greta Gynt makes a comely Peggy. The supporting players also keep on their toes." ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' wrote: "The melodramatics in this British-made thriller that 20th-Fox is distributing come off poorly and it is best suited for fill-in bookings in the lesser situations. Only familiar name is that of Richard Arlen, balance of cast being Britishers. ... The basic plot idea furnished a good enough springboard for a program meller, but it falls apart in the script development, giving the players little to work with. Montgomery Tully's direction is no help, either, so there's no plausibility to the action. The technical contributions are substandard." In ''British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959'' David Quinlan rated the film as "mediocre", writing: "Very artificial thriler of little interest."

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0046910, Devil's Point 1954 films 1954 crime drama films British black-and-white films British crime drama films 20th Century Fox films Films directed by Montgomery Tully 1950s English-language films 1950s British films English-language crime drama films