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6 out of 6 people found the following review useful: Reasonably good British noir, 18 May 2006 Author: John Seal from Oakland CA
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Richard Todd stars as John North, a frustrated writer whose dalliance with his publisher's wife (Christine Norden) leads to tragedy. In a plot development that blends elements of Hitchcockian intrigue with the romantic stylings of Brief Encounter, the lovers meet in a British Rail caff for rock cakes and coffee (served with perfect disdain by Dora Bryan, who hails from my original home town of Southport) before departing for a weekend of illicit lovemaking. North gets cold feet, pulls the emergency cord, disembarks from the train, and high tails it for home--only to find that his false alarm has caused a train wreck that leaves dozens dead. Rail Inspector Waterson (Ralph Truman) is soon on the case, and his eye for detail and nose for suspicious behavior attracts him to the North household. Though Sinister Cinema's tape has a rather soft image, it still nicely showcases Erwin Hillier's atmospheric and angular cinematography. Overall, The Interrupted Journey is a very entertaining and surprisingly well made Eady money entry that also benefits from a fine performance by Valerie Hobson as Todd's suspicious wife.
12 out of 18 people found the following review useful: A young pasty-faced Richard Todd giving it his all, 24 June 2002 Author: DSJ Kennedy (tara-ken) from South East England
Just take a few deep breaths when the film-makers over-stress the plot points, and you'll find this a fun movie with a tasty wee twist on it's tail. The acting is over the top at times, with Mr. Todd doing some ridiculous grimacing, but it was made in '49' when I think these particular film-makers must have thought that their audience was pretty stupid, so they threw subtlety out the window. A good performance by the great Tom Walls. Before watching ask yourself if you are in the mood for this type of film, if so you'll have a good time-I did.
4 out of 5 people found the following review useful: Plotty thriller which cheats its main premise, but revels in 'Dutch angle' photography and bad hairstyles., 19 January 2009 Author: BOUF from Australia
Richard Todd (wearing a vat of Brylcreem on his hair) agonises over whether he should run away with his peroxided mistress (Christine Nordern) or return to to his stolid missus (Valerie Hobson). He jumps out of a train, and thinks he's caused multiple deaths. Lots of angst ensues, especially when it looks like the loyal missus won't believe in his innocence. As a melodrama it's not too bad, despite the cheat in the plot, and Todd's hammy performance. For once, horsey Ms Hobson's frigidity is welcome. As the loyal old stick, she refrains from chewing the scenery. Her hair, however looks as ugly as her clothes. Ms Nordern also acquits herself well. She's hefty, predatory and suitably tarty (she also sports an appalling hairdo)..but she seems genuine...there's a scene in which she kisses Todd with what looks like genuine sexual hunger - something you don't often see in twee British thrillers like this. The best thing in the film is probably the arty camera-work.. there are some really interesting angles. There's a sequence in an old hotel where the camera and direction becomes almost Bergmanesque. Todd and Vida Hope (the hotelier) all moodily lit, suddenly launch into some very slow dialogue as though there's some deep meaning to their standard mystery story exchange. Early on Dora Bryan (always a joy) appears briefly as a waitress, who serves Todd and Nordern with some rock cakes - which are integral to the plot. Non-British viewers may be baffled by these delicacies; but I urge them to inquire no further.
Who is the man in the mackintosh???, 19 October 2009 Author: kidboots from Australia
Nowadays Valerie Hobson is remembered, if at all, for being married to John Profumo, the Minister for War, whose affair with Christine Keeler in 1963 bought down Britain's Conservative government. But she was an elegant actress who had quite a long career. She was the adult Estella in David Lean's prestigious "Great Expectations" (1946) and had the title role in "Blanche Fury" - a costume drama in the tradition of "The Wicked Lady". Even though this film was made toward the end of her career, she still looked youthful enough to be unconvincing as a wife of ten years!!!The film starts with John (Richard Todd) and Susan (Christine Norden) hurrying to Paddington station, planning to start a new life away from their respective spouses - but they are being followed a sinister man in a mackintosh. Why anyone would want to run away with boring Richard Todd is the biggest mystery - but anyway!!! Todd is a writer, who has never had any support from his wife Carol (Valerie Hobson) ... with good reason. They have been married 10 years - he has never had any success with his writing and now, fed up, she wants him to join her father's firm - get a real job in other words!!Meanwhile the mackintosh man is really freaking John out, so much so, that seeing him on the train, he pulls the emergency cord and escapes off the train leaving Susan asleep!! It may have been her comment about writing being all very well but he has to get a proper job!!! He goes home to be reunited with his wife and in time to see the train crash! Within a few days the whole country is looking for the person who pulled the communication cord. John and Carol get a visit from the British Railway Investigation Board. It turns out that "mackintosh man" was a private investigator and his notebook has incriminating evidence that John was indeed on the train with Susan. In private he confesses all to his wife when it is suddenly discovered that the accident was caused by a faulty spark and not the communication cord.It seems everything is rosy...but then the police realise Susan had been shot before the accident and John's communication cord confession makes him a prime suspect for murder!! Is he innocent - Carol seems to doubt it - she has heard him talk in his sleep!! She finds a gun in their lily pond and warns John - she doesn't know about the man John surprised in the dark outside their home. Then begins a chase as John is determined to find out just who the man in the mackintosh is and the true killer!!Richard Todd is really excellent at playing ordinary men consumed by guilt and throwing suspicion on themselves by their behaviour. Dora Bryan is very memorable as a slatternly waitress whose "rock cakes" play a part in the plot. Tom Walls is also excellent as the fatherly railway official.Recommended.
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