Black Memory

Black Memory
Black Memory
	Trade ad poster
Directed by	Oswald Mitchell
Written by	John Gilling
Produced by	Gilbert Church
Starring	Michael Atkinson; Myra O'Connell; Michael Medwin; Sid James;
Cinematography	S.D. Onions
Edited by	John F. House
Music by	Peter Russell
Production; company	Bushey Studios
Distributed by	Ambassador Film Productions
Release date	July 1947;
Running time	73 mins
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Black Memory is a 1947 British crime film directed by Oswald Mitchell and starring Michael Atkinson, Myra O'Connell and Michael Medwin.^[1] It featured the first screen appearance of Sid James, known for the Carry On films. Also making her film acting debut in Black Memory was the Welsh-born actor, playwright, screenwriter and film director Jane Arden.^[2]

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
Michael Medwin as Johnnie Fletcher
Sid James (credited as Sydney James) as Eddie Clinton
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 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

TV Guide wrote: "Weak story, poor dialog; everyone's just kiddin' around";^[3] while Mystery File wrote: "it’s only in bits and pieces and occasional places that the plot rises above the purely pedestrian. If I were Leonard Maltin, the best I could give this movie would be 1½ stars out of five and I still think I’d be just a little bit generous if I did. Nonetheless, its historical significance is high, so I was glad to have had the opportunity to have seen it, and you may too."^[4]