Date with Disaster

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Date with Disaster
Date with Disaster.jpg
Directed by Charles Saunders
Written by Brock Williams
Produced by Guido Coen
Starring Tom Drake
William Hartnell
Shirley Eaton
Cinematography Brendan J. Stafford
Edited byTom Simpson
Music by Reg Owen
Anthony Spurgin
Production
company
Fortress Film Productions
Distributed by Eros Films
Astor Picture (US)
Release date
  • 18 July 1957 (1957-07-18)
Running time
61 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Date with Disaster is a 1957 British crime film directed by Charles Saunders and starring Tom Drake, William Hartnell and Shirley Eaton. [1] An innocent man becomes a suspect for a crime he did not commit.

Contents

Plot

Miles is a young honest car salesman, but his business partners Don and Ken are crooks. While Miles is away, Don and Ken collude with professional criminal Tracey to break into a factory and steal £20,000, using as their getaway vehicle a car they have ''sold'' to a fictitious buyer. Since Miles said he was away when the raid took place, the police suspect him as the perpetrator. Ken murders Don for his share of the loot, and kidnaps Miles's girlfriend Sue. Miles rescues Sue and clears his name.

Cast

Production

The film was made at Southall Studios in London. Location shooting took place around Southall and Chiswick. The film's sets were designed by the art director Herbert Smith.[ citation needed ]

Critical reception

Monthly Film Bulletin said "A stereotypical and unremarkable small-scale thriller, with performances and direction adequate for the matter in hand." [2]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "mediocre", writing: "Follows a well-worn path." [3]

The Cinema described it as "a very useful co-feature ... capable direction and well-handled suspense." [4]

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References

  1. ""Date with Disaster"". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  2. ""Date with Disaster"". Monthly Film Bulletin . 24 (276): 114. 1 January 1957 via ProQuest.
  3. Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 299. ISBN   0-7134-1874-5.
  4. "Date with Disaster". The Cinema : 14. 16 July 1957.