The Heart Within

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The Heart Within
The Heart Within.jpg
Original British quad poster
Directed by David Eady
Screenplay by Geoffrey Orme
Story by John Baxter
Produced by Jon Penington
Starring James Hayter
Clifford Evans
Earl Cameron
David Hemmings
Cinematography Ernest Palmer
Edited by Peter Pitt
Music byVivian Comma
Edwin Astley
Production
company
Penington Eady Productions
Distributed by J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (UK)
Release date
  • July 1957 (1957-07)
(UK)
Running time
61 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The Heart Within is a 1957 British second feature ('B') [1] drama film directed by David Eady and starring James Hayter, Clifford Evans and David Hemmings. [2] It was written by Geoffrey Orme. A Trinidadian dockside worker goes on the run in London suspected of the murder of another Trinidadian.

Contents

Plot

West Indian Victor Conway, suspected of murder, is in hiding but is chanced upon by young Danny Willard. Believing him to be innocent, Danny and his grandfather try to help him. Learning the true identity of the murderer – drug dealer Matthew Johnson – Danny is kidnapped, but Victor rescues him, the murderer is killed during the struggle, and Victor is exonerated.

Cast

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote "With some good camerawork, a London docks setting, and cautious but not unenterprising use of its West Indian characters, this film has a more convincing air than most thrillers of its type. Unfortunately, the effect is somewhat handicapped by an over-melodramatic and stereotyped climax and by some indifferent playing. Earl Cameron and David Hemmings play agreeably, though, as the West Indian and the cockney boy who befriends him. Background music is effectively provided by a West Indian steel band." [3]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Variably acted, quite pleasing racial-problem thriller." [4]

TV Guide wrote "Well-acted presentation of a man accused of murder because of the color of his skin...Intriguing effort given power mainly through the handling of the theme of prejudice." [5] [ permanent dead link ]

Chilbnall and McFarlane in The British 'B' Film wrote that the film has "irreproachable attitudes to racial problems at the time when these were surfacing in Britain." [1]

References

  1. 1 2 Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 163. ISBN   978-1-8445-7319-6.
  2. "The Heart Within". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  3. "Monthly Film Bulletin review". www.screenonline.org.uk.
  4. Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 319. ISBN   0-7134-1874-5.
  5. "The Heart Within | TV Guide". TVGuide.com.