They Knew Mr. Knight (film)

They Knew Mr. Knight
British quad poster
Directed by	Norman Walker
Written by	Victor MacLure Norman Walker
Based on	They Knew Mr. Knight by Dorothy Whipple
Produced by	Norman Walker
Starring	Mervyn Johns Nora Swinburne Joyce Howard Joan Greenwood
Cinematography	Erwin Hillier
Edited by	Sam Simmonds
Music by	John Greenwood
Production company	G.H.W. Productions
Distributed by	General Film Distributors
Release date	4 March 1946 (1946-03-04)
Running time	93 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

They Knew Mr. Knight is a 1946 British drama film directed by Norman Walker and starring Mervyn Johns, Nora Swinburne and Joyce Howard. ^[1] It was based on a 1934 novel of the same title by Dorothy Whipple. A man is sentenced to twelve months in Lincoln jail following his involvement in a share scam, plunging himself and his family into despair. However, by the time of his release he is able to face his uncertain future with fortitude.

The film was made by Norman Walker's G.H.W. Productions, funded by the Rank Organisation, at Denham Studios. It suffered a financial loss on its release and it was the last of four films that Walker made for Rank. ^[2]

Cast

• Mervyn Johns as Tom Blake
• Nora Swinburne as Celia Blake
• Joyce Howard as Freda Blake
• Joan Greenwood as Ruth Blake
• Peter Hammond as Douglas Blake
• Marie Ault as Grandma Blake
• Frederick Cooper as Edward Blake
• Grace Arnold as Isabel Blake
• Alfred Drayton as Mr. Knight
• Olive Sloane as Mrs. Knight
• Joan Maude as Carrie Porritt
• Kenneth Kove as Coggie Selby
• Frederick Burtwell as Mr. Berry
• Winifred Oughton as Mrs. Greene
• Tarva Penna as Mr. Greene
• Patric Curwen as Mr. Porter
• Muriel Aked as Lady Gilling
• Anthony Holles as Station Master
• Gordon Begg as Sims
• Ian Fleming as Higgs
• Sheila Raynor as Agnes
• Pat Stevens as Miss Berry
• Doyley John as Bobby Hewett
• Alan Snart as Choirboy

Critical reception

The Radio Times gave the film two out of five stars, and wrote, "director Norman Walker rather wallows in this glum middle-class morality tale. But he prudently cashes in on Johns's fretful features and the solid support provided by Nora Swinburne and Joan Greenwood, as his wife and self-sacrificing daughter." ^[3]

References

1. "They Knew Mr. Knight". BFI. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012.
2. Murphy p.66
3. David Parkinson. "They Knew Mr Knight". RadioTimes.

Bibliography

• Murphy, Robert. Realism and Tinsel: Cinema and Society in Britain 1939-48. Routledge, 1992.

External links

• They Knew Mr. Knight at IMDb
• Film review at Variety