Behind the Headlines is a 1956 'B'[1] British crime film directed by Charles Saunders and starring Paul Carpenter, Adrienne Corri, Hazel Court and Alfie Bass.[2][3] It was written by Allan MacKinnon based on the 1955 novel Behind the Headlines by Robert Chapman.[4]
| Behind the Headlines | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Charles Saunders |
| Written by | Allan MacKinnon |
| Based on | Behind the Headlines (novel) by Robert Chapman |
| Produced by | Guido Coen |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Geoffrey Faithfull |
| Edited by | Margery Saunders |
| Music by | Stanley Black |
Production company | Kenilworth Film Productions |
| Distributed by | Rank Organisation |
Release date |
|
Running time | 65 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
A male and female journalist join forces to hunt down a murderer.
Plot
editAmerican Paul Banner used to be a reporter working in London. Recently leaving his paper, he has gone freelance, so that he can focus more on chasing down facts and selling his stories once he gets them. He has no regrets in leaving his job as there will be no more deadlines or misguided editors to divert his attention. He starts up a news service, Banners News Agency, whose motto is "ferret out the facts and sell them to the highest bidder."
When showgirl Nina Duke is murdered, the press are all harrying the police for statements and facts but Banner hangs back and does a little work of his own to uncover the story. Nina, it transpires, was previously in jail for blackmail, so it is possible that this was why she was killed. Banner initially falls for the affections of rival reporter Pam Barnes, but his true affections lie with his secretary, Maxine.
A race to find the killer has Banner trying to get the story that the police cannot.
Cast
edit- Paul Carpenter as Paul Banner
- Adrienne Corri as Pam Barnes
- Hazel Court as Maxine
- Alfie Bass as Sammy
- Ewen Solon as Superintendent Faro
- Trevor Reid as Bunting
- Melissa Stribling as Mary Carrick
- Olive Gregg as Mrs. Bunting
- Harry Fowler as Alfie
- Magda Miller as Nina Duke
- Arthur Rigby as Hollings
- Leonard Williams as Jock Macrae
- Gaylord Cavallaro as Jeff Holly
- Tom Gill as Creloch
- Colin Rix as Bernard
- Anita Wuest as model
- Sandra Colville as waitress
- Marian Collins as nurse
- Constance Wake as receptionist
Production
editThe film was made at Southall Studios.
Director Charles Saunders previously made One Jump Ahead (1955), which had many similarities to Behind the Headlines.[5] The story of a news reporter investigating a murder, again played by Paul Carpenter, and from a story by Robert Chapman. Saunders specialised in the B movie at the Kenilworth Films Production house which turned out 11 mainly crime thrillers between 1948 and 1956.[6]
Critical reception
editThe Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Although this comedy thriller makes no attempt at originality, it is quite competently presented and played, and works amiably enough through its series of standarised situations/"[7]
TV Guide concluded: "Weak script and stiff direction offer little suspense in this routine yarn."[8]
The Radio Times wrote: "... this is elevated above the morass of British crime B-movies by a sure sense of newsroom atmosphere that owes more to Hollywood than Pinewood... there's a convincing seediness about the backstage milieu thanks to Geoffrey Faithfull's unfussy photography. It may lack suspense and newsman Paul Carpenter is short on charisma, but there's admirable support from the likes of Adrienne Corri, Hazel Court and Alfie Bass."[9]
References
editNotes
edit- ^ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 128. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
- ^ "Behind the Headlines". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ^ "Film details: 'Behind the Headlines' (1956)." British Film Institute, 2016. Retrieved: 24 August 2016.
- ^ Goble 1999, p. 81.
- ^ "Behind the Headlines (1956)." IMDb. Retrieved: 1 July 2013.
- ^ Chibnall and McFarland 2009, p. 68.
- ^ "Behind the Headlines". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 23 (264): 116. 1 January 1956 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Overview: 'Behind The Headlines'." TV Guide, 2016. Retrieved: @4 August 2016.
- ^ "Behind the Headlines.' RadioTimes. Retrieved: @4 August 2016.
Bibliography
edit- Chibnall, Steve and Brian McFarlane. The British 'B' Film. London: Palgrave MacMillan, 2009. ISBN 978-1-8445-7320-2.
- Goble, Alan. The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. London: Walter de Gruyter, 1999. ISBN 978-1-8573-9229-6.
