Deadly Nightshade (film)

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Deadly Nightshade
Deadly Nightshade film poster.jpg
DVD cover
Directed by John Gilling
Screenplay by Lawrence Huntington
Produced by Robert S. Baker
Monty Berman
Starring Emrys Jones
Zena Marshall
John Horsely
CinematographyMonty Berman
Edited by Sidney Hayers
Music by John Lanchbery
Production
company
Kenilworth Film Productions
Distributed by General Film Distributors (UK)
Release date
  • March 1953 (1953-03)(UK)
Running time
61 minutes
Country United Kingdom
Language English

Deadly Nightshade is a 1953 British second feature ('B') [1] crime drama film directed by John Gilling and starring Emrys Jones, Zena Marshall and John Horsely. [2] [3] [4] The screenplay was by Lawrence Huntington. A convict on the run switches identities with a lookalike, only to find himself in even deeper trouble.

Contents

Cast

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The various red herrings which keep on cropping up in this film are nobody's business, but it is all quite jolly and thrilling in its standard British second feature way." [5]

Kine Weekly wrote: "The picture contains more talk than action, and the comedy relief is a bit heavy-handed, but competent performances by Emrys Jones, Zena Marshall and John Horsely prevent the interest from flagging." [6]

TV Guide thought the idea was "done much better in Antonioni's The Passenger (1975)," but found the film, "still occasionally entertaining." [7]

The Radio Times wrote, "In spite of its penury, this typical 1950s British crime quickie...is curiously engaging...Although director John Gilling throws in a few Cornish coastal views, he's mostly confined to unconvincing sets, though the cheapskate look only adds to the charm." [8]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Conventional 'B' picture with plenty of incident." [9]

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References

  1. ↑ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 87. ISBN   978-1-8445-7319-6.
  2. ↑ "Deadly Nightshade". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  3. ↑ "Deadly Nightshade (1953)". Archived from the original on 20 January 2009.
  4. ↑ Mann, Dave (30 May 2009). Britain's First TV/Film Crime Series and the Industrialisation of Its Film Industry, 1946-1964. Edwin Mellen Press. p. 269. ISBN   978-0-7734-4763-9.
  5. ↑ "Deadly Nightshade" . The Monthly Film Bulletin . 20 (228): 52. 1 January 1953 – via ProQuest.
  6. ↑ "Deadly Nightshade" . Kine Weekly . 431 (2382): 31. 19 February 1953 – via ProQuest.
  7. ↑ "Deadly Nightshade". TVGuide.com.
  8. ↑ "Deadly Nightshade - Film from RadioTimes". RadioTimes.
  9. ↑ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 299. ISBN   0-7134-1874-5.


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