Home | Movies By Year | Movies from 1955
The Night My Number Came Up
Buy The Night My Number Came Up now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the movie. And once you've experienced the movie, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
'The Night My Number Came Up' is a 1955 British supernatural drama film directed by Leslie Norman with the screenplay written by R. C. Sherriff. The plot is based on a real incident in the life of British Air Marshal Sir Victor Goddard; his journal was published in 'The Saturday Evening Post' of 26 May 1951."Obituary of Sir Victor Goddard." 'The Times', January 1987. The film stars Michael Redgrave, Sheila Sim and Alexander Knox. This was Sim's final film before her retirement from acting.
Plot
A senior Royal Air Force officer is at a dinner party in Hong Kong at which one of those present, a naval commander, talks about a dream he had in which the air marshal and seven companions were flying in a Dakota which crashed on a rocky shore. The air marshal is due to fly to Tokyo the following day, but is not disturbed because many of the details differ from his planned voyage, including that a different aircraft is scheduled: a Consolidated Liberator.
However, when problems ground the planned aircraft, it is replaced by a Douglas Dakota - like the one in the dream. Then a number of additional passengers arrive, making up the total number of people on board to 13 (eight passengers and five crew members) - the same number of people as in the dream. As the flight proceeds, other circumstances occur so that eventually most of the details correspond to the dream. The Dakota has to climb to avoid bad weather, but then starts to ice up. The pilot puts it into a steep dive to shake off the ice and unfreeze the undercarriage. This succeeds, but they are now in heavy cloud and the plane has lost its guidance and radio. They believe they are heading for Yokohama Bay in Japan, but having to fly on visuals alone they need to land before sunset.
They get lost and fly around in circles. Events increasingly unfold just as in the dream, and the pilot, who knows of the premonition, starts to panic. The senior officer demands that they ditch in the sea, but the pilot wants to attempt an emergency landing on the beach. Then they run out of fuel and glide towards the mountains, but, instead of crashing as in the dream, the pilot manages to bring the aircraft down in a controlled emergency landing in deep snow on a flat section of the mountainside and all on board survive.
Cast
* Michael Redgrave as Air Marshal Hardie
* Sheila Sim as Mary Campbell
* Alexander Knox as Owen Robertson
* Denholm Elliott as Mackenzie
* Ursula Jeans as Mrs Robertson
* Ralph Truman as Lord Wainwright
* Michael Hordern as Commander Lindsay
* Nigel Stock as Pilot
* Bill Kerr as Soldier
* Alfie Bass as Soldier
* George Rose as Bennett
* Victor Maddern as Engineer
* David Orr as Co-Pilot
* David Yates as Navigator
* Richard Davies as Wireless Operator
* Doreen Aris as Miss Robertson
* Hugh Moxey as Wing Commander
* Percy Herbert as R.E.M.E. Sergeant
* Stratford Johns as Sergeant (uncredited)
Production
'The Night My Number Came Up' was made by J Arthur Rank at the Ealing Studios.[http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/84892/Night-My-Number-Came-Up-The/original-print-info.html "Original print information: 'The Night My Number Came Up' (1955)."] 'Turner Classic Movies'. Retrieved: 24 May 2015.
Leslie Norman said he found the original magazine article and suggested it become a film. He wrote a synopsis and sent it to Michael Balcon, who agreed to make the film - although he refused to let Leslie Norman write the script (which Norman wanted to do) and insisted R.C. Sheriff get the job. Norman later said "I don't think R.C. Sheriff added anything to it."McFarlane 1997, p. 440.
Part of the film was shot in Hong Kong, particularly Kai Tak Airport. Norman said he was "pretty pleased with" the film but felt "Ursula Jeans was a weak link".McFarlane 1997, p. 441.
Reception
Film critic and historian Leonard Maltin said 'The Night My Number Came Up', was a "... first-rate suspense film [that] will have you holding your breath as it recounts tale of routine military flight, the fate of which may or may not depend on a prophetic dream."Maltin., Leonard. [http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/84892/Night-My-Number-Came-Up-The/ "Leonard Maltin Movie Review: 'The Night My Number Came Up' (1955)."] 'Turner Classic Movies'. Retrieved: 24 May 2015.
In the 'Time Out' review, Trevor Johnston saw 'The Night My Number Came Up' as, "Clever plot construction, a plane-load of top British thesps, and smooth handling from director Leslie Norman (Barry's dad) all give good value."Johnston 2004, p. 834.
'The Night My Number Came Up' was nominated for four 1956 BAFTA Awards: Michael Redgrave as Best British Actor, R.C. Sherriff for Best British Screenplay and for Best Film from any Source as well as Best British Film.
References
'Notes'
'Bibliography'
* Johnston, Trevor. "The Night My Number Came Up." 'Time Out Film Guide'. London: Time Out Guides Limited, 2004. .
* McFarlane, Brian. 'An Autobiography of British Cinema'. London: Methuen, 1997. .
Buy The Night My Number Came Up now from Amazon
<-- Return to movies from 1955