The Hangman Waits
| The Hangman Waits | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover | |
| Directed by | A. Barr-Smith |
| Written by | A. Barr-Smith |
| Produced by | A. Barr-Smith |
| Starring | Beatrice Campbell John Turnbull |
| Cinematography | Denys Coop |
| Edited by | Bunch Dixon-Spain |
| Music by | Albert Ferber |
Production company | Five Star Films |
| Distributed by | Butcher's Film Service |
Release date |
|
Running time | 63 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The Hangman Waits is a 1947 British thriller film written, directed and produced by A. Barr Smith, starring Beatrice Campbell and John Turnbull.[1] Shot documentary-style, the film tells the story of a murderer who comes to a grisly end.
Plot[edit]
A cinema organist murders an usherette, leaving the dismembered remains of her body in a trunk at London's Victoria Station. The News of the World newspaper promotes a search to bring the murderer to justice. While on the run, he kills a second time. Finally he throws himself to his death from the top storey of the newspaper's building.
Cast[edit]
- John Turnbull – Inspector
- Beatrice Campbell – Usherette
- Hylton Allen – Night Editor, Daily Clarion
- Anthony Baird – Sinclair
- Vi Kaley – Old Woman in Crowd outside Queens Theatre (as Vi Kailey)
- John Le Mesurier – newspaper worker (uncredited)
Critical reception[edit]
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "*Documentary-style study of the pursuit of a killer. Burly character actor John Turnbull's only role in films."[2]
Chibnall and McFarlane in The British 'B' Film called the film: "A gruesome slice of Grand Guignol, adding: "Somewhat unconvincingly its distributors, Butcher's, tried to emphasise the film's factual and educational credentials: 'An absorbing and thrilling exposition of Newspaper life showing how crime news is collected and presented in its various stages,' claimed the poster. Reviewers were less convinced and could recommend this only to the unsophisticated."[3]
References[edit]
- ^ "The Hangman Waits". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 215. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.
- ^ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
Releases[edit]
The film was released on DVD by Renown Pictures in 2011.
External links[edit]
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