The Hangman Waits | |
---|---|
Directed by | A. Barr-Smith |
Written by | A. Barr-Smith |
Produced by | A. Barr-Smith |
Starring | Beatrice Campbell John Turnbull |
Cinematography | Denys Coop |
Edited by | Bunch Dixon-Spain |
Music by | Albert Ferber |
Production company | Five Star Films |
Distributed by | Butcher's Film Service |
Release date |
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Running time | 63 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
The Hangman Waits is a 1947 British thriller film written, directed and produced by A. Barr Smith, starring Beatrice Campbell and John Turnbull. [1] Shot documentary-style, the film tells the story of a murderer who comes to a grisly end.
A cinema organist murders an usherette, leaving the dismembered remains of her body in a trunk at London's Victoria Station. The News of the World newspaper promotes a search to bring the murderer to justice. While on the run, he kills a second time. Finally he throws himself to his death from the top storey of the newspaper's building.
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "*Documentary-style study of the pursuit of a killer. Burly character actor John Turnbull's only role in films." [2]
Chibnall and McFarlane in The British 'B' Film called the film: "A gruesome slice of Grand Guignol, adding: "Somewhat unconvincingly its distributers, Butcher's, tried to emphasise the film's factual and educational credentials: 'An absorbing and thrilling exposition of Newspaper life showing how crime news is collected and presented in its various stages,' claimed the poster. Reviewers were less convinced and could recommend this only to the unsophisticated." [3]
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Murder at 3 a.m. is a 1953 British crime film second feature directed by Francis Searle and starring Dennis Price, Peggy Evans and Rex Garner. A Scotland Yard detective investigates a series of attacks on women.
No Trace is a 1950 British second feature crime film directed by John Gilling and starring Hugh Sinclair, Dinah Sheridan and John Laurie. A crime writer murders a blackmailer, and is then asked to help solve the case by the police.
Three Steps to the Gallows is a 1953 British second feature crime film directed by John Gilling and starring Scott Brady, Mary Castle and Gabrielle Brune. It was released in the USA by Lippert Pictures as White Fire.
Impulse is a 1954 British second feature film noir directed by Cy Endfield and starring Arthur Kennedy, Constance Smith and Joy Shelton.
Man Accused is a low budget 1959 British crime film directed by Mongomery Tully and starring Ronald Howard and Carol Marsh.
The Great Van Robbery is a 1959 black-and-white British crime film starring Denis Shaw and Kay Callard, directed by Max Varnel.
The Scarlet Web is a 1954 British second feature crime film directed by Charles Saunders and starring Griffith Jones, Hazel Court and Zena Marshall.
The Diplomatic Corpse is a 1958 British second feature comedy thriller film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Robin Bailey, Susan Shaw and Liam Redmond. It was produced by ACT Films.
Profile is a 1954 British second feature thriller film directed by Francis Searle and starring John Bentley, Kathleen Byron and Thea Gregory. A murder mystery set in a magazine publishers.
The film was released on DVD by Renown Pictures in 2011.