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Mr. Denning Drives North
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Wikipedia article
'Mr. Denning Drives North' is a 1951 British mystery film directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring John Mills, Phyllis Calvert and Sam Wanamaker. The plot concerns an aircraft manufacturer (Mills) who accidentally kills the boyfriend (Herbert Lom) of his daughter (Moore) and tries to dispose of the body. Alec Coppel wrote the script, adapted from his own 1950 novel of the same title. It was made at Shepperton Studios.
Plot
Aircraft manufacturer Tom Denning (John Mills) is married to Kay (Phyllis Calvert); they have a daughter, Liz (Eileen Moore). Liz is dating Mados (Herbert Lom) who Tom "accidentally" kills by punching him. Instead of calling the police, Tom disposes of the body in a ditch. He tries to disguise the victim by placing a large overly-ornate ring on the victim's finger. Later, torn with his guilt, he goes back to pick up the body only to find that it has disappeared.
Cast
* John Mills as Tom Denning
* Phyllis Calvert as Kay Denning
* Eileen Moore as Liz Denning
* Sam Wanamaker as Chick Eddowes
* Herbert Lom as Mados
* Raymond Huntley as Wright
* Russell Waters as Harry Stoper
* Wilfrid Hyde-White as Woods
* Freda Jackson as Ma Smith
* Trader Faulkner as Ted Smith
* Sheila Shand Gibbs as Matilda
* Bernard Lee as Inspector Dodds
* Michael Shepley as Chairman of Court
* Ronald Adam as Coroner
* John Stuart as Wilson
* Hugh Morton as Inspector Snell
* David Davies as Chauffeur
* Ambrosine Phillpotts as Miss Blade
Original novel
The film was based on a novel by Coppel that was published in late 1950.[http://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C382046 'Mr Denning Drives North'] at AustLit
The 'Washington Post' thought the Rolls Royce "made more sense than any of the alleged human characters... a bit pretentious."
Production
Film rights were bought by Alexander Korda's London Films. John Mills' casting was announced in May 1951. It was Mills' first film in almost two years.
At one stage Dane Clark and Pat Roc were reportedly going to support Mills.
Sam Wanamaker had been living in England since 1949 and was offered the part after writing to his agent from holiday in France asking if any jobs were going.
Reception
Box office
The film performed poorly at the British box office.Critical reception
'The New York Times' wrote, "this little melodrama serves as still another reminder, from a country that jolly well knows how to exercise it, that restraint can work minor wonders...Persuasive and tingling, minus one false note... No doubt about it. The British have what it takes."References
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