The Franchise Affair (film)
| The Franchise Affair | |
|---|---|
.jpg) UK theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | Lawrence Huntington |
| Written by | Robert Hall Lawrence Huntington |
| Based on | the novel by Josephine Tey |
| Produced by | Robert Hall |
| Starring | Michael Denison Dulcie Gray |
| Cinematography | Günther Krampf |
| Edited by | Clifford Boote |
| Music by | Philip Green |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Associated British-Pathé |
Release date | 20 February 1951 |
Running time | 95 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | £117,966 (UK)[1] |
The Franchise Affair is a 1951 British thriller film directed by Lawrence Huntington and starring Michael Denison, Dulcie Gray, Anthony Nicholls and Marjorie Fielding. It is a faithful adaptation of the novel The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey.[2]
Plot
In a quiet English town, schoolgirl Betty Kane (Ann Stephens) claims that the owners of an isolated house ("The Franchise") , spinster Marion Sharpe (Dulcie Gray) and Marion's mother (Marjorie Fielding), kidnapped and beat her. The police believe Betty's story, but local lawyer Robert Blair (Michael Denison), a bachelor, is sceptical. Risking ostracism from the community, Blair quietly sets about proving the innocence of the two women.
It evolves that the 14 year old girl was actually claiming to be 19 and was having an affair with a travelling salesman. She planned to explain her absence by a kidnap and chose the Franchise house having seen it over the high wall from the top of a double decker bus.
The community begin to shun the women as they have already effectively been tried by the local press.
Attacks on the house begin: breaking windows and painting graffiti on the walls. A local garage mechanic (Kenneth More) offers to help guard the house.
Blair asks Marion to marry him but she declines and after the trial she goes to live in Canada.
Cast
- Michael Denison - Robert Blair
- Dulcie Gray - Marion Sharpe
- Anthony Nicholls - Kevin McDermott
- Marjorie Fielding - Mrs Sharpe
- Athene Seyler - Aunt Lin
- John Bailey - Detective Inspector Grant
- Ann Stephens - Betty Kane
- Hy Hazell - Mrs Chadwick
- Kenneth More - Stanley Peters
- Avice Landone - Mrs Wynn
- Maureen Glynne - Rose Glynn
- Peter Jones - Bernard Chadwick
- Moultrie Kelsall - Judge
- Martin Boddey - Inspector Hallam
- Patrick Troughton - Bill Brough
- Hugh Moxey - Counsel for prosecution
- John Warwick - Carley
- Ernest Jay - Ramsden
- Everley Gregg - Mrs. Jarrett
- Ambrosine Phillpotts - Miss Spence
- Jean Anderson - Miss Tuff
- Harold Lang - Bus inspector
- John Forrest - Leslis Wynn
- Lawrence Ray - Albert the waiter
- Victor Maddern - Bus mechanic
- Doris York - Christina
- Will Ambro - Heseltine
Critical reception
- The New York Times wrote, "a great many words are spoken and a great deal of tea is consumed in a low-budget British picture, "The Franchise Affair," which made a bedraggled appearance at the Little Carnegie yesterday. And, as may be readily imagined, the sum total of it all is an hour and a half of sheer boredom, unrelieved by any action or surprise." [3]
- Sky Movies wrote, "a neat, well-constructed whodunit - or, rather, was-it-done? - graced by good performances - it was one of several films husband-and-wife team Michael Denison and Dulcie Gray made together - and a leisurely but literate script. Although modest in ambition, the film sustains its drama throughout and there are some fine moments of spicy, English upper-crust wit. Its courtroom scenes also bring a welcome relief from the Perry Mason style of histrionics. Star-spotters can't miss Kenneth More in a small role." [4]
References
- ^ Vincent Porter, 'The Robert Clark Account', Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Vol 20 No 4, 2000 p493
- ^ "BFI | Film & TV Database | The FRANCHISE AFFAIR (1950)". Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk. 16 April 2009. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
- ^ Crowther, Bosley (6 June 1952). "Movie Review - The Franchise Affair - THE SCREEN". NYTimes.com. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
- ^ "The Franchise Affair - Sky Movies HD". Skymovies.sky.com. 21 May 2003. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
External links
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