Eight O’Clock Walk **½ (1954, Richard Attenborough, Derek Farr, Cathy O’Donnell, Ian Hunter) – Classic Movie Review 12,842

The 1954 British courtroom thriller Eight O’Clock Walk stars Richard Attenborough as a just-married taxi driver on trial for the murder of a small girl, defended by a junior counsel (Derek Farr) who believes he is innocent.

‘Was her husband the murderer of an innocent girl?’

Director Lance Comfort’s standard 1954 British courtroom thriller Eight O’Clock Walk stars Richard Attenborough as the just-married taxi driver Tom Manning on trial for the murder of a small girl, defended by sympathetic junior counsel Peter Tanner (Derek Farr) who believes in his innocence.

Comfort directs uncomfortably, but America’s Cathy O’Donnell as Manning’s wife Jill, who is convinced he is innocent, plus a fine home team, led by Ian Hunter as prosecuting counsel Geoffrey Tanner (Peter Tanner’s father), Maurice Denham as Horace Clifford and Bruce Seton as Detective Chief Inspector, gives it a bit of authority.

While it is none too credible or special, it is commendably short at 87 minutes and fast-moving, and okay as a late-night filler. It says much for the actors that the performances are probably better than their script, though sincerity is on its side. Best of all, it is an anti-capital punishment film showing how circumstantial evidence could result in the death of someone mistakenly accused.

It was filmed while Sir Dickie was starring in the first run of Agatha Christie’s London West End play The Mousetrap, in which he appeared for two years.

The screenplay by Katherine Strueby and Guy Morgan is based on an original story by Gordon Harboard and Jack Roffey, in turn based on a true story. The title refers to the time UK executions were carried out.

It is shot at Shepperton Studios and on location in London.

It did well. On a budget of £49,216, the UK box office was £94,602, but it was the final film of the independent producer George King.

It was released by British Lion (UK) and Associated Artists (US).

Eight O’Clock Walk stars Richard Attenborough, Derek Farr, Cathy O’Donnell and Ian Hunter.

Also in the cast are Robert Adair, Grace Arnold, Max Brimmell, Maurice Denham, Bruce Seton, Harry Welchman, Dorothy Darke, Eithne Dunne, Noel Dyson, David Hannaford, Enid Hewitt, Vernon Kelso, Philip King, Cheryl Molineaux, Humphrey Morton, Bartlett Mullins, Kynaston Reeves, Jean St Clair, Sally Stephens, Robert Sydney, Sue Thacheray, and Totti Truman Taylor.

Eight O’Clock Walk is directed by Lance Comfort, runs 87 minutes, is made by British Aviation Pictures, is released by British Lion (UK) and Associated Artists (US), is written by Katherine Strueby and Guy Morgan, is shot in black and white Brendan J Stafford, is produced by George King, is scored by George Melachrino, and designed by Norman G Arnold.

Release date: 16 March 1954.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 12,842

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