Lost (1956 film)
| Lost | |
|---|---|
 A poster bearing the film's alternative title: Tears for Simon | |
| Directed by | Guy Green |
| Written by | Janet Green |
| Produced by | Vivian Cox |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Harry Waxman |
| Edited by | Anne V. Coates |
| Music by | Benjamin Frankel |
| Distributed by | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 89 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Lost (also known as Tears for Simon) is a 1956 British thriller film directed by Guy Green and starring David Farrar, David Knight and Julia Arnall.[1][2] It was written by Janet Green. It is set in 1950s London, and revolves around the apparent kidnapping of a young couple's baby.[3]
Plot
[edit]US embassy employee Lee Cochrane and his Austrian wife discover their 18-month-old son Simon has been abducted, after their nanny leaves the child unattended outside a chemist's shop. London Detective Inspector Craig pledges to find the child, though clues are thin on the ground.
Cast
[edit]- David Farrar as Detective Inspector Craig
- David Knight as Lee Cochrane
- Julia Arnall as Sue Cochrane
- Anthony Oliver as Sergeant Lyel
- Thora Hird as Kelly's landlady
- Eleanor Summerfield as Sergeant Cook
- Anne Paige as nanny
- Marjorie Rhodes as Mrs. Jeffries
- Anna Turner as Alma Robey
- Everley Gregg as viscountess
- Meredith Edwards as Sergeant Davies
- Anita Sharp-Bolster as Miss Gill (billed as Anita Bolster)
- Beverly Brooks as Pam, telephone operator (uncredited)
- Joan Hickson as shop assistant in chemist's shop
- Joan Sims as ice cream seller
- Barbara Windsor as girl in chemist's shop (uncredited)
- Shirley Anne Field as Miss Carter, daughter of garage/taxi service proprietor (uncredited)
- George Woodbridge as Mr. Carter, garage proprietor (uncredited)
- Dandy Nichols as greengrocer's shop assistant
- Alma Taylor as Mrs. Bellamy (uncredited)
- Mona Washbourne as library manageress (uncredited)
- John Welsh police scientist (uncredited)
Production
[edit]It was produced by Sydney Box who returned to Rank after a long absence.[4]
Critical reception
[edit]The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Hackneyed situations and conventional characterisation prevent this melodrama from developing much in the way of tension or emotional conviction, and flat direction has done little to prop up a contrived script. Performances generally are barely adequate, although there are characteristically assured sketches from Thora Hird and Joan Sims."[5]
Kine Weekly wrote: "Intriguing and unusual story, first-class acting and direction, popular cast, smooth dialogue, irresistible feminine angle, good atmosphere, thrilling finale and Eastman Color."[6]
Variety wrote: "Farrar's solid performance is always believable. Knight plays in a single key which tends to become slightly monotonous while Miss Arnall, an attractive newcomer, shows promise for a bright future. Eleanor Summerfield, Anthony Oliver and Thora Hird turn in standard portrayals in support. There's a delightful cameo by Joan Sims as an ice-cream girl. Guy Green's direction extracts most of the suspense from Janet Green's screenplay. Benjamin Frankel's music and Harry Waxman's lensing are plus features. Muyro."[7]
Allmovie wrote, "This nail-biting film is filled to capacity with many of Britain's top supporting players, including Thora Hird, Everley Gregg, Joan Sims, Shirley Anne Field, Joan Hickson, Dandy Nichols, Mona Washbourne, Barbara Windsor and George Woodbridge."[8]
The Radio Times wrote, "this film succeeds because it confronts every parent's nightmare: what happens when you suddenly look away and find your child is missing when you look back? Of course, this being a class-riddled Rank picture, it's the nanny who loses the baby, but it's pretty harrowing nonetheless, despite the casting of insipid David Knight and Julia Arnall as baby Simon's parents. Granite-faced cop David Farrar is on hand to bring grit to screenwriter Janet Green's earnest chase movie, and not-so-hidden among the red herrings are a welter of British character players, with particularly impressive work from Thora Hird. The little-known Anna Turner also gives a fine performance as the tormented baby-snatcher, and Harry Waxman's colour location photography is superb, but the cliff-top climax is a little hard to believe."[9]
References
[edit]- ^ "Lost". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
- ^ "Lost (1956)". BFI. Archived from the original on 10 August 2016.
- ^ Schwartzman, Arnold (19 November 1991). "Interview with Guy Green side 3". British Entertainment History Project.
- ^ Harper, Sue; Porter, Vincent (2003). British cinema of the 1950s : the decline of deference. Oxford University Press. p. 161.
- ^ "Lost". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 23 (264): 33. 1 January 1956 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Lost". Kine Weekly. 467 (2536): 8. 2 February 1956 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Lost". Variety. 201 (10): 6. 8 February 1956 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Hal Erickson. "Tears for Simon (1955) - Guy Green - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie". AllMovie.
- ^ Tony Sloman (13 August 2014). "Lost". RadioTimes.
External links
[edit]- 1956 films
- British mystery films
- British detective films
- 1950s English-language films
- Films about child abduction
- Films directed by Guy Green
- Films scored by Benjamin Frankel
- Films shot at Pinewood Studios
- Films set in London
- 1950s British films
- British thriller films
- 1950s thriller films
- English-language thriller films