A Man on the Beach
Encyclopedia
A Man on the Beach is a British short fiction film. It was directed by Joseph Losey
and produced by Anthony Hinds
for Hammer
. Based on a story by Victor Canning
("Chance At the Wheel") adapted by Jimmy Sangster
, his first script, the film stars Donald Wolfit
, Michael Medwin and Michael Ripper
.
In reality, the old lady is career criminal Max (Medwin) and the chauffeur is his accomplice on his first job. Journeying into the countryside they stop for Max to change in to male clothing. The chauffeur is alarmed that Max reneges on their agreement to go half on the stolen money. Max pulls a gun on his associate, but is accidentally injured when it goes off while they fight. With the unconscious chauffeur slumped over the wheel, Max pushes the car off a cliff killing the other man.
Looking for assistance, Max stumbles across the empty house occupied by the reclusive Carter (Wolfit), a blind former doctor and alcoholic. Returning shortly afterwards he discovers his unwanted guest, and the two men talk and drink, though Carter does not reveal his loss of sight, or Max realsise this. He thinks Carter is unwilling to look at his bleeding arm, and uses whiskey as disinfectant on his wound. He passes out.
When he comes around the following morning, he finds Carter absent and that his bag has been examined. He assumes Carter has gone to the police. His host, on returning, asks him to leave. The bullet is no longer in his wound. Threatening Carter with being shot, Max fills in most of the remaining details of his crime because he assumes Carter is able to identify him. They struggle and Max is disarmed. As Carter is unable to find the gun, Max finally realises the other man is blind as Carter's policeman friend arrives to take him fishing.
in his study of Losey is equally dismissive. Viewing the film "is a misfortune - its twenty nine minutes weigh like sixty" whose "dialogue and action are equally amateurish, inconsistent, awful. Everything is spelled out, usually several times." Wheeler Winston Dixon is more positive: "Immaculately photographed by Wilkie Cooper, this peculiar and atmospheric caper film ... offers an interesting hint as to Losey's future direction in British cinema."
Joseph Losey
Joseph Walton Losey was an American theater and film director. After studying in Germany with Bertolt Brecht, Losey returned to the United States, eventually making his way to Hollywood...
and produced by Anthony Hinds
Anthony Hinds
Anthony Hinds , aka Tony Hinds, aka John Elder, is a British screenwriter and producer. He is the son of the founder of Hammer Film Productions, William Hinds.-Early life:Tony Hinds was educated at St Paul's School...
for Hammer
Hammer Film Productions
Hammer Film Productions is a film production company based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1934, the company is best known for a series of Gothic "Hammer Horror" films made from the mid-1950s until the 1970s. Hammer also produced science fiction, thrillers, film noir and comedies and in later...
. Based on a story by Victor Canning
Victor Canning
Victor Canning was a prolific writer of novels and thrillers who flourished in the 1950s, '60s and '70s, but whose reputation has faded since his death in 1986...
("Chance At the Wheel") adapted by Jimmy Sangster
Jimmy Sangster
James Henry Kinmel Sangster was an English screenwriter and director, known for his work for horror film producers Hammer Film Productions, including scripts for The Curse of Frankenstein and Dracula .Sangster originally worked as a production assistant at...
, his first script, the film stars Donald Wolfit
Donald Wolfit
Sir Donald Wolfit, KBE was a well-known English actor-manager.-Biography:Wolfit, who was "Woolfitt" at birth was born at New Balderton, near Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire and attended the Magnus Grammar School and made his stage début in 1920...
, Michael Medwin and Michael Ripper
Michael Ripper
Michael Ripper was an English character actor born in Portsmouth.He began his film career in quota quickies in the 1930s and until the late 1950s was virtually unknown; he was seldom credited. He played one of the two murderers in Richard III. Ripper became a mainstay in Hammer Film Productions...
.
Synopsis
An old lady is driven to a Mediterranean casino by a chauffeur (Ripper) in a Rolls Royce. After briefly playing at the tables without success, the lady visits the manager. While toasting her with champagne, the manager is attacked by the old lady and his takings are stolen.In reality, the old lady is career criminal Max (Medwin) and the chauffeur is his accomplice on his first job. Journeying into the countryside they stop for Max to change in to male clothing. The chauffeur is alarmed that Max reneges on their agreement to go half on the stolen money. Max pulls a gun on his associate, but is accidentally injured when it goes off while they fight. With the unconscious chauffeur slumped over the wheel, Max pushes the car off a cliff killing the other man.
Looking for assistance, Max stumbles across the empty house occupied by the reclusive Carter (Wolfit), a blind former doctor and alcoholic. Returning shortly afterwards he discovers his unwanted guest, and the two men talk and drink, though Carter does not reveal his loss of sight, or Max realsise this. He thinks Carter is unwilling to look at his bleeding arm, and uses whiskey as disinfectant on his wound. He passes out.
When he comes around the following morning, he finds Carter absent and that his bag has been examined. He assumes Carter has gone to the police. His host, on returning, asks him to leave. The bullet is no longer in his wound. Threatening Carter with being shot, Max fills in most of the remaining details of his crime because he assumes Carter is able to identify him. They struggle and Max is disarmed. As Carter is unable to find the gun, Max finally realises the other man is blind as Carter's policeman friend arrives to take him fishing.
Reputation
A "modest featurette which scarcely justifies its credits" accoring to Halliwell's Film and Video Guide which gives the film no stars. David CauteDavid Caute
John David Caute is a British author, novelist, playwright, historian and journalist.Caute was educated at Edinburgh Academy, Wellington, Wadham College, Oxford and St Antony's College, Oxford. A Henry Fellow at Harvard, he was elected a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford in 1959, but resigned in...
in his study of Losey is equally dismissive. Viewing the film "is a misfortune - its twenty nine minutes weigh like sixty" whose "dialogue and action are equally amateurish, inconsistent, awful. Everything is spelled out, usually several times." Wheeler Winston Dixon is more positive: "Immaculately photographed by Wilkie Cooper, this peculiar and atmospheric caper film ... offers an interesting hint as to Losey's future direction in British cinema."