In the Wake of a Stranger
| In the Wake of a Stranger | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Directed by | David Eady |
| Written by | John Tully |
| Based on | novel In the Wake of a Stranger by Ian Stuart Black[1] |
| Produced by | Jacques de Lane Lea Jon Penington |
| Starring | Tony Wright Shirley Eaton |
| Cinematography | Eric Cross |
| Edited by | John Seabourne |
| Music by | Edwin Astley |
Production company | Crescent Films |
| Distributed by | Butcher's Film Service(UK) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 69 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
In the Wake of a Stranger is a 1959 British second feature ('B')[2] thriller film directed by David Eady and starring Tony Wright, Shirley Eaton and Danny Green.[3][4] It was written by John Tully based on the 1959 novel of the same name by Ian Stuart Black.
Plot
[edit]A group of murderers try to frame an innocent sailor for their crime.
Cast
[edit]- Tony Wright as Tom Cassidy
- Shirley Eaton as Joyce Edwards
- Danny Green as Barnes
- Willoughby Goddard as Shafto
- Harry H. Corbett as McCabe
- Tom Bowman as Spike
- Alun Owen as Ferris
- Barbara Archer as barmaid
- Vanda Godsell as Hetty McCabe
- James Ottaway as Johnson
- Peter Sinclair as sea captain
- Peter Carver as lorry driver
- Frank Pemberton as landlord
- Patricia Dean as secretary
- David Hemmings as schoolboy
Production
[edit]The film was based on a novel published in 1953. Filming took place in January 1958.[5]
Critical reception
[edit]Variety complained about the film's "unsound, loosely-woven construction that prevails within the yarn... an incredibly puerile tale... at all times, illogical."[6]
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "A murky crime thriller, set in Liverpool, slack in tempo and with an over-complicated, unoriginal script. Willoughby Goddard's corpulent Shafto is the best performance of a generally dependable cast."[7]
TV Guide gave the film two out of five stars, writing, "The plot is confusing and often illogical, and the love story only gets in the way of the mystery."[8]
Leonard Maltin gave the film two out of four stars, calling it "just fair."[9]
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "poor", calling it an "unpersuasive thriller."[10]
References
[edit]- ^ Goble, Alan (1 January 1999). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 9783110951943 – via Google Books.
- ^ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 68. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
- ^ "In the Wake of a Stranger". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (14 March 2025). "The Weird Non-Stardom of Tony Wright". Filmink. Retrieved 14 March 2025.
- ^ "A page for all the family". Manchester Evening News. 18 January 1958. p. 3.
- ^ "In the Wake of a Stranger". Variety. 13 April 1960. p. 20.
- ^ "The Crowning Touch". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 26 (300): 88. 1 January 1959 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "In The Wake Of A Stranger". Archived from the original on 9 May 2018.
- ^ "In the Wake of a Stranger (1959) - Overview - TCM.com".
- ^ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 328. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.
External links
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