Daybreak (1948)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Compton Bennett

Writers:

Muriel Box (writer)
Sydney Box (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

13 May 1949 (Finland)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A hangman conceals his true identity when he falls in love, and sets up home with his girl on a barge in the river Thames...

Plot Keywords:

British Noir

Cast

Ann Todd	...	Frankie
Eric Portman	...	Eddie
Maxwell Reed	...	Olaf
Edward Rigby	...	Bill Shackle
Bill Owen	...	Ron
Eliot Makeham	...	Mr. Bigley
Jane Hylton	...	Doris
Margaret Withers	...	Mrs.Bigley
John Turnbull	...	Superintendent
Maurice Denham	...	Inspector
Milton Rosmer	...	Governor
Lyn Evans	...	Waterman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Andrew Crawford	...	Barber shop customer (uncredited)
Garry Marsh	...	Barbershop Customer (uncredited)

Directed by
Compton Bennett

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Muriel Box		writer
Sydney Box		writer
Monckton Hoffe		story

Produced by
Sydney Box	....	producer
A. Frank Bundy	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Benjamin Frankel

Cinematography by
Reginald H. Wyer

Film Editing by
Helga Cranston
Peter Price
Gordon Hales		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
James A. Carter		(as James Carter)

Costume Design by
Dorothy Sinclair

Makeup Department
Nell Taylor	....	makeup artist
Frieda Steiger	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
George Turner	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Basil Keys	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Ivan King	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Stephen Dalby	....	sound recordist
John W. Mitchell	....	sound recordist (as John Mitchell)
George Burgess	....	sound supervisor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bernard Lewis	....	camera operator (as Bernie Lewis)
Freddie Cooper	....	clapper loader (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Amy C. Binney	....	wardrobe mistress (uncredited)

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	conductor
Nigel Tangye	....	composer: song "Daybreak"

Production Companies

• Sydney Box Productions (as Triton)

Distributors

• General Film Distributors (GFD) (1947) (UK) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical)
• R&B Video (2005) (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

USA:75 min | UK:81 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Sydney Box Productions

Trivia:

Release delayed for two years, owing to censorship problems.

Good

Eddie (Eric Portman) is a hangman, who makes a confession when he comes face to face with his final victim, Olaf, (Maxwell Reed). He tells the story of how he knows the victim to the Governor (Milton Rosmer). The film starts well as we learn of Eddie's double life - he uses an alias and has a share in a hairdresser business with Ron (Bill Owen). We follow the story as he inherits a fleet of barges and meets with Frankie (Ann Todd). They marry and settle down on a barge where Eddie hires Olaf as a workman.

Eddie leaves Frankie alone for short periods as he performs his duty as a hangman. We are led to believe that she does not know of the role that he has. Similarly, we feel that he does not know about any "role" that she may previously have had - she seems to have an independent bad streak about her. She is regularly left alone and Olaf is ever present. There are some good moments in the film as we genuinely become involved in the situations that occur. It is well-acted by all including Bill (Edward Rigby), Eddie's sea friend and, on a personal note, I find that Eric Portman reminds me of a cross between Richard Burton and Donald Pleasance. One night, Eddie returns earlier than expected and catches Frankie and Olaf on the barge together........

The negative points - Eddie is too old for Frankie and his marriage proposal to Frankie and her acceptance after their 3rd meeting is laughable. It is also slightly irritating how Eddie and Frankie aren't honest with each other about what is happening in their lives. And Olaf's fake Danish accent is appalling!

Once the story has been told in flashback, we return to the Governor's office ..... and the film has a very downbeat ending.