Five Days (1954 film)

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Five Days
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Montgomery Tully
Written by Paul Tabori
Produced by Anthony Hinds
Starring Dane Clark
Paul Carpenter
Thea Gregory
Cinematography Walter J. Harvey
Edited by James Needs
Music by Ivor Slaney
Production
company
Distributed by Exclusive Films
Lippert Pictures (US)
Release date
  • 25 June 1954 (1954-06-25)
Running time
71 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Five Days (U.S. title: Paid to Kill) is a 1954 British second feature ('B') [1] film noir directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Dane Clark, Paul Carpenter and Thea Gregory. [2] [3] It was written by Paul Tabori and produced by Anthony Hinds for Hammer Film Productions. It was released in the United States by Lippert Pictures.

Contents

Plot

James Nevill, a nearly bankrupt businessman, hires his best friend to kill him within five days so his wife can collect on his life insurance. After his business takes a sudden upswing he changes his mind, but he must get to the killer and tell him so before the killer gets to him first. Nevill suffers several near misses before he learns the truth about who has been trying to kill him.

Cast

Production

The film was shot at Bray Studios with sets designed by the art director J. Elder Wills.

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The neat plot is spoilt by a weak script, and not all the forceful intensity of the American star, Dane Clark, can save this pedestrian piece. The British players in support scarcely seem to try. The direction is uneven, scenes are put together with little sense of movement or continuity, and the result is a thriller below the average." [4]

Kine Weekly wrote: "The central idea is far-fetched, but sound acting and direction enables its 'thick ear' to acquire an intriguing and thrilling facade. Definitely the masses' cup of tea. ...The picture puts a considerable strain upon the credulity of the audience, but the sensational twist ending prevents it from reaching breaking point." [5]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Good plot, assorted acting, poor script." [6]

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References

  1. ↑ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 82. ISBN   978-1-8445-7319-6.
  2. ↑ "Five Days". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  3. ↑ Five Days at the BFI Database
  4. ↑ "Five Days". The Monthly Film Bulletin . 21 (240): 104. 1 January 1954. ProQuest   1305814431 – via ProQuest.
  5. ↑ "Five Days". Kine Weekly . 446 (2447): 21. 20 May 1954. ProQuest   2732607946 – via ProQuest.
  6. ↑ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 309. ISBN   0-7134-1874-5.
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