The Broken Horseshoe (film)

The Broken Horseshoe
Original Australian daybill
Directed by	Martyn C. Webster
Written by	A. R. Rawlinson
Based on	the television serial by Francis Durbridge
Produced by	Ernest G. Roy
Starring	Robert Beatty Elizabeth Sellars
Cinematography	Gerald Gibbs
Edited by	Joseph Sterling
Music by	Wilfred Burns
Production company	Nettlefold Films (UK)
Distributed by	Butcher's Film Service
Release date	1953 (1953)(UK)
Running time	77 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

The Broken Horseshoe is a 1953 British "B" ^[1] crime film directed by Martyn C. Webster and starring Robert Beatty, Elizabeth Sellars, Peter Coke, and Hugh Kelly. ^[2] It was written by A. R. Rawlinson based on the BBC television series of the same title from the previous year. ^[3] A surgeon is drawn into a murder case.

Plot

A hit-and-run victim is operated on by Dr Fenton, but the patient is later murdered, and the doctor finds himself the prime suspect. The mysterious Della, connected to a horse-doping ring, falls for the doctor and helps him clear his name and expose the villains.

Cast

• Robert Beatty as Dr Mark Fenton
• Elizabeth Sellars as Della Freeman
• Peter Coke as Detective Inspector George Bellamy
• Hugh Kelly as Dr Craig
• Janet Butler as Sister Rogers
• Vida Hope as Jackie Leroy
• Ferdy Mayne as Charles Constance
• James Raglan as Superintendent Grayson
• George Benson as Prescott
• Roger Delgado as Felix Gallegos
• Ronald Leigh-Hunt as Sergeant Lewis
• Hugh Pryse as Mr Rattray
• Toke Townley as Fred Barker

Critical reception

Kine Weekly said "The shrewdly chosen leading players neatly handle the bizarre plot, and their alert team work, amplified by a wide variety of appropriate and realistic backgrounds, leads to an intriguing amalgam of sentiment and homicide. Loose ends are securely tied at the finish, and there is no lack of surprise. Good average British thriller." ^[4]

Monthly Film Bulletin said "a competently made little thriller, convincing at the time, although some loose ends are left. An amusing character part is played by Vida Hope." ^[5]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Rare coincidence of director, writer (Durbridge) and star (Peter Coke) from radio's famous Paul Temple series. But thriller is fairly ordinary." ^[6]

Chibnall and McFarlane in The British 'B' Film wrote: "Some brisk direction ensured that the film rose above the average supporting mystery thriller." ^[1]

References

1. Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 65. ISBN   978-1-8445-7319-6.
2. "The Broken Horseshoe". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
3. "1950's British TV and Radio Snippets – Fifties Drama Serials".
4. "The Broken Horseshoe". Kine Weekly . 435 (2400): 21. 25 June 1953. ProQuest   2732607335.
5. "The Broken Horseshoe". Monthly Film Bulletin . 20 (228): 121. 1 January 1953. ProQuest   1305818735.
6. Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 288. ISBN   0-7134-1874-5.

External links

• The Broken Horseshoe at IMDb