The Unguarded Hour | |
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Directed by | Sam Wood |
Written by | Howard Emmett Rogers Leon Gordon Horace Jackson (uncredited contributor) |
Based on | |
Produced by | Lawrence Weingarten Sam Wood |
Starring | Loretta Young Franchot Tone Roland Young |
Cinematography | James Van Trees |
Edited by | Frank E. Hull |
Music by | William Axt |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Loew's Inc. |
Release date |
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Running time | 87 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
The Unguarded Hour is a 1936 American drama film directed by Sam Wood and starring Loretta Young, Franchot Tone and Roland Young. In England, a prominent young prosecutor in a murder trial is unaware that his wife is involved.
It is based on Bernard Merivale's 1935 play The Unguarded Hour , an adaptation of an earlier Hungarian work by Ladislas Fodor. [1] [2] Some changes were made from the play in order to heighten the drama, including having the heroine as the elusive witness in connection with the trial. [3] The film's set designs were overseen by Cedric Gibbons, assisted by Edwin B. Willis and Joseph Wright. Dolly Tree designed the costumes.
Barrister Sir Alan Dearden is tipped to be Britain's next and youngest ever Attorney General. Shortly before he leaves for holiday on the Continent, his wife Helen is approached by a man claiming to have love letters written by her husband to his own estranged wife. Although these pre-date their marriage, Lady Helen worries that scandal would ruin her husband's career and reluctantly agrees to pay the blackmail demand of £2,000. The following day, she draws the money out of the bank and meets the blackmailer in Dover, eventually leaving the money on the White Cliffs. While she is recovering the love letters, she sees a middle-aged man warning his wife not to go too near the edge.
She is enjoying her holiday with her husband when he is urgently called back to London to take over a murder case at the Old Bailey. A man named Metford stands accused of pushing his wife over a cliff. A shocked Helen realises that she is the key witness in the case but elects to remain silent. During cross-examination, Dearden hounds Metford over his claims that there was a female witness who saw him warning his wife to take care by pointing out a nationwide hunt has not produced this supposed witness. Helen does what she can to persuade her husband that Metford is innocent and that people often make poor witnesses when they are telling the truth, but he is unmoved.
Then, during the trial, Dearden is approached by his former flame —- encouraged by her estranged husband —- who demands blackmail money from him. When shortly afterwards she is found murdered, Scotland Yard investigate and find suspicion is pointed at Dearden. While he has a genuine excuse of how she spent the "unguarded hour", his story sounds as unbelievable as Metford's.
In a sensational development, Lady Helen is subpoenaed by the defence in order to clear the accused, which she does. She then manages to entrap the original blackmailer into revealing that he was the man who killed Metford’s wife.
The Unguarded Hour was presented on Theatre Guild on the Air December 28, 1952. The one-hour adaptation starred Michael Redgrave and Nina Foch. [4]
The Bishop's Wife is a 1947 American Christmas romantic fantasy comedy film directed by Henry Koster, starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven. The plot is about an angel who helps a bishop with his problems. The film was adapted by Leonardo Bercovici and Robert E. Sherwood from the 1928 novel of the same name by Robert Nathan.
Stanislaus Pascal Franchot Tone was an American actor, producer, and director of stage, film and television. He was a leading man in the 1930s and early 1940s, and at the height of his career was known for his gentlemanly sophisticate roles, with supporting roles by the 1950s. His acting crossed many genres including pre-Code romantic leads to noir layered roles and World War I films. He appeared as a guest star in episodes of several golden age television series, including The Twilight Zone and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour while continuing to act and produce in the theater and movies throughout the 1960s.
Loretta Young was an American actress. Starting as a child, she had a long and varied career in film from 1917 to 1953. She received numerous honors including an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and three Primetime Emmy Awards as well as two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her work in film and television.
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The Unguarded Hour is a 1935 play by Bernard Merivale, inspired by a Hungarian work by Ladislas Fodor.