Faces in the Dark (1960)

Director:

David Eady

Writers:

Pierre Boileau (novel)
Ephraim Kogan (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

22 November 1960 (UK)

Genre:

Thriller

Plot:

Businessman and inventor Richard Hammond is determined to develop and market the perfect light-bulb...

Plot Keywords:

Foreign Language Adaptation | Blindness | Murder | Insanity | Beautiful Woman

Cast

John Gregson	...	Richard Hammond
Mai Zetterling	...	Christiane Hammond
John Ireland	...	Max Hammond
Michael Denison	...	David Merton
Tony Wright	...	Clem
Nanette Newman	...	Janet
Valerie Taylor	...	Miss Hopkins
Roland Bartrop	...	French Doctor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Colette Bartrop	...	1st Nurse (uncredited)
Joyce Marlowe	...	(uncredited)
John Serret	...	French Surgeon (uncredited)

Directed by
David Eady

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Pierre Boileau		novel "Les Visages de L'Ombre"
Ephraim Kogan		writer
Thomas Narcejac		novel "Les Visages de L'Ombre"
John Tully		writer

Produced by
Jon Penington	....	producer

Original Music by
Mikis Theodorakis

Cinematography by
Ken Hodges

Art Direction by
Anthony Masters

Costume Design by
Beatrice Dawson

Makeup Department
Anne Box	....	hair stylist
Ernest Gasser	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Pat Marsden	....	production manager (as Patrick Marsden)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Colin M. Brewer	....	assistant director

Art Department
Geoffrey Tozer	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Bob Jones	....	sound recordist
Bert Ross	....	sound recordist
Jim Shields	....	sound editor (as James Shields)

Camera and Electrical Department
Desmond Davis	....	camera operator

Music Department
Mikis Theodorakis	....	conductor

Other crew
Yvonne Richards	....	continuity
Arlette Sibon	....	ondes martenot player

Production Companies

• Penington Eady Productions

Distributors

• J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (1960) (UK) (theatrical)
• Schoenfeld Films (1964) (USA) (theatrical)

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:A

Company:

Penington Eady Productions

You might not have seen this...

In terms of the number of votes for this movie (mine is the 10th), this could be the most obscure film I'm ever seen! Which of course means nothing to you, but it does get me wondering about how some films survive the decades and others just vanish. Certainly there are many much worse ways of spending 80 minutes than watching "Faces in the Dark". On the very slim chance that you might get to see this movie, I won't spoil what was for me the most enjoyable aspect of it, which was speculating as to what would happen next: is it a horror film? a psychological drama? or what? Anyway, the basic plot is that the main character goes blind after an accident; he and his wife plus sundry other relevant persons take a break at their holiday home; and then strange things appear to happen. There are a few things wrong with this film, primarily the rather dull direction (it's not all told from the main character's POV, which deflates some of the tension), and I found John Gregson a little too gruff at times (I only know him from comedies, including, by the way, a film called Genevieve which is one of the most thoroughly entertaining movies I know). Some of the other acting is occasionally dodgy too. Overall, though, it held my interest up to the end, which is, I think, a good enough recommendation for any obscure movie!