This Man Is Dangerous
Encyclopedia
This Man Is Dangerous is a 1941
British thriller film, directed by Lawrence Huntington
and starring James Mason
and Gordon McLeod
. The film is based on the novel They Called Him Death by David Hume.
The current status of the film is unclear. Although it is known to have been shown on British television as recently as 1987, the film was never commercially released to the VHS format of the time. The British Film Institute
do not hold a print in the National Archive and attempts to track it down have so far been proved fruitless. Pending its rediscovery, the film is classed as "missing, believed lost" and is included on the BFI's "75 Most Wanted
" list of missing British feature films.
(McLeod), who would much prefer his son to enrol as a regular policeman.
A policeman is killed while on duty in Hyde Park
and Scotland Yard are keen to catch the killer of their colleague. Mick launches his own enquiries, which lead him to Lord Morne (G. H. Mulcaster) who is frantic with worry as his daughter Lena has been abducted by a gang of blackmailers. Lord Morne offers Mick £1,000 to recover Lena safely. Mick gets to work and, aided by his secretary Molly (Margaret Vyner
), tracks down the kidnappers to a shady nursing home in a remote rural area. However they manage to flee with Lena to North Wales.
The kidnappers arrange a ransom drop with Lord Morne, but Mick arranges for him to go into hiding and goes to the rendezvous himself in disguise. His deception is uncovered and he is overpowered and taken to a derelict cargo ship. The gang use torture to try to get him to reveal Lord Morne's whereabouts, but Mick keeps his nerve and refuses to divulge the information. Finally they throw him into the ship's hold and set the vessel on fire. Mick manages to escape in the nick of time, and also rescues a member of the gang who had apparently been deemed surplus to requirements and had also been left to die on the blazing ship. This man is understandably disgruntled by his treatment at the hands of his former partners in crime, and is only to happy to help Mick out with the location where Lena is being held.
Mick makes his way to the hideout and approaches stealthily, but not well enough to avoid being spotted by a lookout. A dramatic confrontation follows, and just as things are starting to look desperate for Mick, his father turns up with a Scotland Yard posse to save the day. The gang is captured and the rescued Lena is reunited with her father. She expresses her gratitude to Mick, with the hope that they will get to know each other better.
spoke of "exciting plot, fast action, good thrills, popular romantic and comedy asides, vigorous teamwork, hectic climax...", and added: "It gets away to a flying start and never calls a halt in its hectic gyrations...until crime is paid for in full, youth is vindicated and romance triumphs". The Monthly Film Bulletin
, never known for being overly generous with its praise, wrote: "An admirable cast under the very capable direction of Lawrence Huntington keep the suspense at boiling-point until the end." In the U.S., the Motion Picture Herald described it as "a thrilling melodrama", although the writer wondered about the ability of American audiences to understand the British accents of the cast.
1941 in film
The year 1941 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Citizen Kane, consistently rated as one of the greatest films of all time, was released in 1941.-Top grossing films :-Academy Awards:...
British thriller film, directed by Lawrence Huntington
Lawrence Huntington
Lawrence Huntington was a British film director, screenwriter and producer.Huntington was born in London on 9 March 1900, he directed more than thirty films following his debut feature After Many Years in 1930, later going on to work in television before his death in 1968.-Partial filmography:*...
and starring James Mason
James Mason
James Neville Mason was an English actor who attained stardom in both British and American films. Mason remained a powerful figure in the industry throughout his career and was nominated for three Academy Awards as well as three Golden Globes .- Early life :Mason was born in Huddersfield, in the...
and Gordon McLeod
Gordon McLeod (actor)
Gordon McLeod was an English actor, born Charles Gordon McLeod.His film appearances include Chance of a Lifetime and The Silent Passenger, but he is best known for his recurring appearance as the character Claud Eustace Teal in films such as The Saint Meets the Tiger.-Selected filmography:* A...
. The film is based on the novel They Called Him Death by David Hume.
The current status of the film is unclear. Although it is known to have been shown on British television as recently as 1987, the film was never commercially released to the VHS format of the time. The British Film Institute
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
do not hold a print in the National Archive and attempts to track it down have so far been proved fruitless. Pending its rediscovery, the film is classed as "missing, believed lost" and is included on the BFI's "75 Most Wanted
BFI 75 Most Wanted
The BFI 75 Most Wanted is a list compiled by the British Film Institute of their most sought-after British feature films not currently held in the BFI National Archive, and classified as "missing, believed lost". The films chosen range from quota quickies and B-movies to lavish prestige...
" list of missing British feature films.
Plot
Mick Cardby (Mason) earns a living as a self-employed private detective, to the exasperation of his father Detective Inspector Cardby of Scotland YardScotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
(McLeod), who would much prefer his son to enrol as a regular policeman.
A policeman is killed while on duty in Hyde Park
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
and Scotland Yard are keen to catch the killer of their colleague. Mick launches his own enquiries, which lead him to Lord Morne (G. H. Mulcaster) who is frantic with worry as his daughter Lena has been abducted by a gang of blackmailers. Lord Morne offers Mick £1,000 to recover Lena safely. Mick gets to work and, aided by his secretary Molly (Margaret Vyner
Margaret Vyner
Margaret Vyner was an Australian-born film actress who appeared in British films. She was married to the film director Hugh Williams.-Selected filmography:* Sensation * Sailing Along * This Man Is Dangerous...
), tracks down the kidnappers to a shady nursing home in a remote rural area. However they manage to flee with Lena to North Wales.
The kidnappers arrange a ransom drop with Lord Morne, but Mick arranges for him to go into hiding and goes to the rendezvous himself in disguise. His deception is uncovered and he is overpowered and taken to a derelict cargo ship. The gang use torture to try to get him to reveal Lord Morne's whereabouts, but Mick keeps his nerve and refuses to divulge the information. Finally they throw him into the ship's hold and set the vessel on fire. Mick manages to escape in the nick of time, and also rescues a member of the gang who had apparently been deemed surplus to requirements and had also been left to die on the blazing ship. This man is understandably disgruntled by his treatment at the hands of his former partners in crime, and is only to happy to help Mick out with the location where Lena is being held.
Mick makes his way to the hideout and approaches stealthily, but not well enough to avoid being spotted by a lookout. A dramatic confrontation follows, and just as things are starting to look desperate for Mick, his father turns up with a Scotland Yard posse to save the day. The gang is captured and the rescued Lena is reunited with her father. She expresses her gratitude to Mick, with the hope that they will get to know each other better.
Cast
- James MasonJames MasonJames Neville Mason was an English actor who attained stardom in both British and American films. Mason remained a powerful figure in the industry throughout his career and was nominated for three Academy Awards as well as three Golden Globes .- Early life :Mason was born in Huddersfield, in the...
as Mick Cardby - Mary ClareMary ClareMary Clare was a British actress who performed in films, on the stage, and later on television.-Biography:...
as Matron - Margaret VynerMargaret VynerMargaret Vyner was an Australian-born film actress who appeared in British films. She was married to the film director Hugh Williams.-Selected filmography:* Sensation * Sailing Along * This Man Is Dangerous...
as Molly Bennett - Gordon McLeodGordon McLeod (actor)Gordon McLeod was an English actor, born Charles Gordon McLeod.His film appearances include Chance of a Lifetime and The Silent Passenger, but he is best known for his recurring appearance as the character Claud Eustace Teal in films such as The Saint Meets the Tiger.-Selected filmography:* A...
as Inspector Cardby - Frederick ValkFrederick ValkFrederick Valk was a German-born Jewish stage and screen actor of Czech descent who fled to the United Kingdom in the late 1930s to escape Nazi persecution, and subsequently became a naturalised British citizen...
as Dr. Moger - Barbara EverestBarbara EverestBarbara Everest was a British film actress. She was born in Southfields, Surrey, and made her screen debut in the 1916 film The Man Without a Soul.-Selected filmography:* A Romance of Old Baghdad...
as Mrs. Cardby - Barbara James as Lena Morne
- G. H. Mulcaster as Lord Morne
- Eric Clavering as Al Meason
- Terry Conlin as Detective Sergeant Trotter
- William FayWilliam FayWilliam George Fay was an actor and theatre producer who was one of the co-founders of the Abbey Theatre....
as Mr. Eslick - Brefni O'RorkeBrefni O'Rorke-Filmography:* The Ghost of St. Michael's * Love on the Dole * This Man Is Dangerous * Jeannie * Cottage to Let * Hatter's Castle * The Black Sheep of Whitehall...
as Dr. Crosbie - Viola LyelViola Lyel-Selected filmography:* Hobson's Choice * Let Me Explain, Dear * Channel Crossing * Over the Garden Wall * A Political Party * The Farmer's Wife * This Man Is Dangerous...
as Nurse - Anthony Shaw as Sir Wallace Benson
- Michael RennieMichael RennieMichael Rennie was an English film, television, and stage actor, perhaps best known for his starring role as the space visitor Klaatu in the 1951 classic science fiction film The Day the Earth Stood Still. However, he appeared in over 50 other films since 1936, many with Jean Simmons and other...
as Inspector
Reception
On its original release This Man Is Dangerous received good critical notices. Kine WeeklyKine Weekly
The Kinematograph Weekly, popularly known as Kine Weekly, was a trade newspaper catering to the British film industry. It was published in Britain between 1889 and 1971.-Publication history:...
spoke of "exciting plot, fast action, good thrills, popular romantic and comedy asides, vigorous teamwork, hectic climax...", and added: "It gets away to a flying start and never calls a halt in its hectic gyrations...until crime is paid for in full, youth is vindicated and romance triumphs". The Monthly Film Bulletin
Monthly Film Bulletin
The Monthly Film Bulletin was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 to April 1991. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those with a narrow arthouse release. The MFB was edited in the mid-1950s by David Robinson, in the late...
, never known for being overly generous with its praise, wrote: "An admirable cast under the very capable direction of Lawrence Huntington keep the suspense at boiling-point until the end." In the U.S., the Motion Picture Herald described it as "a thrilling melodrama", although the writer wondered about the ability of American audiences to understand the British accents of the cast.
External links
- This Man Is Dangerous at BFI Film & TV Database