Faces in the Dark
| Faces in the Dark | |
|---|---|
.jpg) British quad poster | |
| Directed by | David Eady |
| Screenplay by | Ephraim Kogan John Tully |
| Based on | Les Visages de l'ombre by Boileau-Narcejac |
| Produced by | Jon Penington |
| Starring | John Gregson Mai Zetterling John Ireland Michael Denison |
| Cinematography | Ken Hodges |
| Edited by | Oswald Hafenrichter |
| Music by | Mikis Theodorakis |
Production company | Penington Eady Productions |
| Distributed by | Rank Film Distributors |
Release date | 22 November 1960 |
Running time | 84 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Faces in the Dark is a 1960 black and white British thriller film directed by David Eady and starring John Gregson, Mai Zetterling and John Ireland.[1] The film is based on the 1952 novel Les Visages de l'ombre by Boileau-Narcejac.[2]
Plot
Richard Hammond, an aggressive and ambitious business mogul and inventor with little or no time for his wife, friends or family, is blinded in an explosion on the same day that his long-suffering wife had planned to leave him. He becomes bitter at life.
His wife is a devious woman and is plotting, with her lover, in an attempt to make her husband think he's going insane, in the hope that he will take his own life and leave them free to pursue their illicit affair in peace.[3]
As he is blind when he encounters the lovers in bed the man just has to stay silent to evade detection.
Hammond gets wise to their plan.
Cast
- John Gregson as Richard Hammond
- Mai Zetterling as Christiane Hammond
- John Ireland as Max Hammond
- Michael Denison as David Merton
- Tony Wright as Clem
- Nanette Newman as Janet
- Valerie Taylor as Miss Hopkins
- Roland Bartrop as French Doctor
Production
The film was shot at Shepperton Studios with sets designed by the art director Anthony Masters.[1] A collection of location stills and corresponding contemporary photographs is hosted at reelstreets.com.[4]
Critical reception
The Radio Times wrote "this tale of blindness and rage should have been a real nail-biter. Sadly, ex-documentary director David Eady simply doesn't have the thriller instinct and throws away countless opportunities to make the tension unbearable."[5] However, TV Guide wrote that "The film has some pot-holes, but the chilling climax is smooth as glass";[6] and Allmovie noted "Although there may be a few minor gaps here and there in the storyline, Faces in the Dark is a suspenseful drama."[7]
References
- ^ a b "BFI | Film & TV Database | FACES IN THE DARK (1960)". 14 January 2009. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009.
- ^ Goble, Alan (8 September 2011). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 9783110951943 – via Google Books.
- ^ The Times, The Gaiety That Was Greece, 21 November 1960
- ^ "Faces in the Dark". ReelStreets. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
- ^ "Faces in the Dark – review | cast and crew, movie star rating and where to watch film on TV and online". Radio Times.
- ^ "Faces In The Dark | TV Guide". TVGuide.com.
- ^ "Faces in the Dark (1960) - David Eady | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie" – via www.allmovie.com.
External links
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- 1960 films
- Films based on works by Boileau-Narcejac
- Films based on French novels
- Films directed by David Eady
- 1960s thriller films
- British thriller films
- Films about blind people
- Films scored by Mikis Theodorakis
- Films shot at Shepperton Studios
- 1960s English-language films
- 1960s British films
- 1960s British film stubs
- 1960s thriller film stubs