Black Memory

Black Memory is a 1947 British crime film directed by Oswald Mitchell and starring Michael Atkinson, Myra O'Connell and Michael Medwin.[1] It is most notable for the first screen appearance of Sid James, who would later go on to find fame in Ealing Comedies and the Carry on films. Also making her film acting debut in Black Memory was the Welsh-born actor, playwright, screenwriter and film director Jane Arden.[2]

Black Memory
Trade ad poster
Directed byOswald Mitchell
Produced byGilbert Church
Written byJohn Gilling
StarringMichael Atkinson
Myra O'Connell
Michael Medwin
Sid James
Music byPeter Russell
CinematographyS.D. Onions
Edited byJohn F. House
Production
company
Distributed byAmbassador Film Productions
Release date
July 1947
Running time
73 mins
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Premise

When his father is wrongly convicted and hanged for murder, son Danny poses as a juvenile delinquent, and ten years later manages to clear his father's name.

Cast
  • Michael Atkinson as Danny Cruff
  • Myra O'Connell as Joan Davidson
  • Michael Medwin as Johnnie Fletcher
  • Sid James (credited as Sydney James) as Eddie Clinton
  • Frank Hawkins as Alf Davidson
  • Jane Arden as Sally Davidson
  • Winifred Melville as Mrs. Davidson
  • Michael Conry as Carl Broach
  • Betty Miller as Mrs. Cruff
  • Arthur Brander as Rutford
  • Gerald Pring as Hawkins, the headmaster
  • Valerie Hulton as Miss Philpotts
  • Maurice Nicholas as Johnnie, as a boy
  • Malcolm Sommers as Danny, as a boy

Critical reception

TV Guide wrote, "Weak story, poor dialog; everyone's just kiddin' around" ;[3] while Mystery File wrote, "it’s only in bits and pieces and occasional places that the plot rises above the purely pedestrian. If I were Leonard Maltin, the best I could give this movie would be 1½ stars out of five and I still think I’d be just a little bit generous if I did. Nonetheless, its historical significance is high, so I was glad to have had the opportunity to have seen it, and you may too."[4]

References
  1. "Black Memory (1947)".
  2. "Arden, Jane (1927-82)". "Screen Online".
  3. "Black Memory".
  4. "» Movie Review: BLACK MEMORY (1947)".
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