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The Key Man (1957 film)

The Key Man
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMontgomery Tully
Written byJ. MacLaren Ross
Produced byAlec C. Snowden
Starring
CinematographyPhil Grindrod
Production
company
Distributed byAnglo Amalgamated Film Distributors
Release date
  • July 1957 (1957-07)
Running time
63 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The Key Man (U.S. title: Life at Stake) is a 1957 British black and white second feature[1] directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Lee Patterson, Paula Byrne and Colin Gordon. [2] The screenplay was by Julian MacLaren-Ross adapted from his original story.[3] The film was released in the USA by United Artists.[4]

Plot

Lionel Hulme is a radio reporter who is trying to trace both the man who committed a robbery 12 years ago as well as the proceeds of the robbery.

Cast

Production

The film was shot during a three week period in 1957 in response to an initiative by Anglo-Amalgamated to increase the number of British made B movies available.[5] MacLaren-Ross had been persuaded by producer Alec C. Snowden to write a script in late 1956 and after some doubts about the project delivered a screenplay to Snowden in January 1957.[6][7]

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin described the film as "...indistinguishable from numerous others of its type; the plot and development are very slight; and the characters negative" with an overall rating of poor.[8]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "mediocre", writing: "Brisk but very ordinary thriller."[9]

Radio adaptation

The story was adapted as a radio play and broadcast on the BBC Home Service in August 1960.[10]

References

  1. ^ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 147. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
  2. ^ "The Key Man". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  3. ^ "J. MacLaren Ross". Film Forever. BFI. Archived from the original on July 1, 2019.
  4. ^ Craddock, Jim (2005). Videohound's Golden Movie Retriever. p. 446. ISBN 978-0787674700.
  5. ^ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British B Film. BFI. p. 100. ISBN 978-1844573196.
  6. ^ MacLaren-Ross, Julian (2008). Willetts, Paul (ed.). Selected Letters. p. 282. ISBN 978-0948238383.
  7. ^ Willetts, Paul. "Spellbound in Soho".
  8. ^ "Key Man". Monthly Film Bulletin. Vol. 24, no. 283. BFI. August 1957. p. 103.[dead link‍]
  9. ^ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 332. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.
  10. ^ "Saturday-Night Theatre 'THE KEY MAN'". Radio Times. Vol. 48, no. 1916. 29 July 1960. p. 46.
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