Front Page Story
Front Page Story is a 1954 black-and-white British drama film directed by Gordon Parry and starring Jack Hawkins, Elizabeth Allan and Eva Bartok.[2]
| Front Page Story | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) British theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | Gordon Parry |
| Produced by | Jay Lewis |
| Screenplay by | Jack Howells Jay Lewis |
| Based on | Final Night by Robert Gaines |
| Starring | Jack Hawkins Elizabeth Allan Eva Bartok Derek Farr |
| Music by | Jackie Brown |
| Cinematography | Gilbert Taylor |
| Edited by | Bill Lewthwaite |
| Distributed by | British Lion Films |
Release date | 1954 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | £132,269 (UK)[1] |
Plot
Grant is a hard working Fleet Street newspaper editor who refuses to take a long planned holiday with his wife Susan. Instead, to her annoyance, he stays in his office to deal with a number of urgent stories. These include a family of children evicted from their home when their mother dies, a woman charged with euthanasia, and a drunken ex-reporter tracking down an atomic scientist. They all culminate in the story of a plane crash, after which Grant is shocked to find his wife listed as one of the passengers. He discovers Susan was leaving him and going away with one of his colleagues. But did she take the plane?
Cast
- Jack Hawkins as Grant
- Elizabeth Allan as Susan Grant
- Eva Bartok as Mrs. Thorpe
- Derek Farr as Teale
- Michael Goodliffe as Kennedy
- Martin Miller as Dr. Brukmann
- Walter Fitzgerald as Black
- Patricia Marmont as Julie
- Joseph Tomelty as Dan
- Jenny Jones as Jenny
- Stephen Vercoe as Craig
- Helen Haye as Susan's Mother
- Michael Howard as Barrow
- John Stuart as Counsel for the Prosecution
- Bruce Beeby as Counsel for the Defence
- Guy Middleton as Gentle
- Ronald Adam as Editor
- Henry Mollison as Lester
Critical reception
The New York Times critic wrote, "there's nothing wrong with the point of this picture. It just doesn't make it well";[3] TV Guide found it "a lucid look behind the headlines at the people who get out the news" ;[4] while the British Radio Times magazine found it "cosily dated, but an interesting sign of its times." [5]
References
- Vincent Porter, 'The Robert Clark Account', Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Vol 20 No 4, 2000 p501
- "Front Page Story". BFI. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009.
- "Movie Review - Front Page Story - Screen: Noble Newsman; Hawkins Plays One in 'Front Page Story' - NYTimes.com".
- "Front Page Story". TV Guide.
- Tom Hutchinson. "Front Page Story". RadioTimes.