The Hundred Pound Window

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The Hundred Pound Window
The Hundred Pound Window.jpg
Directed by Brian Desmond Hurst
Written by Brock Williams
Rodney Ackland (additional dialogue)
Story by Mark Hellinger
Based ona screenplay
by Abem Finkel
Starring Anne Crawford
David Farrar
Frederick Leister
Cinematography Otto Heller
Music by Hans May
Production
company
Warner Brothers-First National Productions
Distributed by Warner Bros. (UK)
Release date
  • 3 April 1944 (1944-04-03)(UK)
Running time
84 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget£64,464 [1]
Box office£54,748 [1]

The Hundred Pound Window is a 1944 British comedy crime film directed by Brian Desmond Hurst and starring Anne Crawford, David Farrar, Frederick Leister and Richard Attenborough. [2] It was written by Brock Williams, Rodney Ackland and Mark Hellinger, based on a screenplay by Abem Finkel. An accountant has to take a second job working at a racetrack, where he soon becomes mixed up with a shady crowd.

Contents

Plot

Cast

Production

It was shot at Teddington Studios, the home of Warner Brothers's British subsidiary.

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Director Hurst has made a bright slick comedy from a strong story ... in which the numerous twists of plot and incident are never allowed to become tortuous. Freely mixing exteriors and a wide variety of sets, he makes the most of contrast between home life, the city, the racecourse and 'crook' night life. To admirable casting he adds painstaking characterisation which wins from all his actors – a long list – an unusually high standard of work." [3]

Picturegoer wrote: "Best thing in this picture which it is hard to believe was directed by a man of the capability of Brian Desmond Hurst, is the acting of Frederick Leister as a clerk. In spite of the fact that he is made to appear too simple, he does present a sound characterization." [4]

Variety wrote: "Slickness of plot development suggests a faithful following of the original American script by Abem Finkel, but in every detail incident and atmosphere is as English as the Derby. ... With due consideration to wartime difficulties the casting of this one is little short of a triumph for the Warners' Teddington studio, even the smallest of the bits being filled perfectly. ... Direction by Brian Desmond Hurst, coupled with more than usually effective editing, keeps the story moving with a smooth swiftness all too rare in English movies." [5]

Leslie Halliwell wrote "Routine programmer notable only forgiving a leading role to an old character actor." [6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Chibnall, Steve (2019). "Hollywood-on-Thames: the British productions of Warner Bros. – First National, 1931–1945". Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television . 39 (4): 14. doi:10.1080/01439685.2019.1615292.
  2. ↑ "BFI | Film & TV Database | The Hundred Pound Window (1943)". BFI. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  3. ↑ "The Hundred Pound Window". The Monthly Film Bulletin . 10 (109): 121. 1 January 1943. ProQuest   1305820316.
  4. ↑ "The Hundred Pound Window". Picturegoer . 13: 12. 3 April 1944. ProQuest   1771184056.
  5. ↑ "The Hundred Pound Window". Variety . 152 (13): 8. 8 December 1943. ProQuest   1285824075.
  6. ↑ Halliwell, Leslie (1989). Halliwell's Film Guide (7th ed.). London: Paladin. p. 491. ISBN   0586088946.


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