Face the Music (film)

This article is about the 1954 British film. For other films, see Face the Music § Film and television.

"The Black Glove" redirects here. For the Batman comic book character, see Batman R.I.P.

Face the Music
American Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Terence Fisher
Screenplay by	Ernest Borneman
Based on	Face the Music by Ernest Borneman
Produced by	Michael Carreras
Starring	Alex Nicol Eleanor Summerfield Paul Carpenter
Cinematography	Walter J. Harvey
Edited by	Maurice Rootes
Music by	Ivor Slaney Kenny Baker
Production company	Hammer Film Productions
Distributed by	Exclusive Films Lippert Pictures (US)
Release dates	29 January 1954 (1954-01-29) (US) 22 February 1954 (1954-02-22) (UK)
Running time	84 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Face the Music (U.S. title: The Black Glove) is a 1954 British crime drama film directed by Terence Fisher, and starring Alex Nicol, Eleanor Summerfield and Paul Carpenter. It was released in the United States by Lippert Pictures.

Plot

An American trumpet player in Britain is accused of murdering a beautiful blues singer.

Cast

• Alex Nicol as James Bradley
• Eleanor Summerfield as Barbara Quigley
• John Salew as Maxie Maguilies
• Paul Carpenter as Johnny Sutherland
• Geoffrey Keen as Maurie Green
• Ann Hanslip as Maxine Halbard
• Fred Johnson as Detective Sergeant MacKenzie
• Martin Boddey as Inspector Mulrooney
• Arthur Lane as Jeff Colt
• Paula Byrne as Gloria Lewis Colt
• Leo Phillips as dresser
• Freddie Tripp as stage manager
• Ben Williams as gatekeeper
• Frank Birch as trumpet aalesman
• Jeremy Hawk as recording technician
• Melvyn Hayes as hotel bellhop

Production

It was produced by Hammer Films and shot at Bray Studios outside London with sets designed by the art director J. Elder Wills.

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Though this highly involved and improbable affair is given a contain gloss by slick camera work and competent direction, nothing could bring an essentially unconvincing story to life, The denizens of Archer Street and Soho are well portrayed, but Alex Nicol seems uneasy in the leading role. Some shots of the show at the Palladium are interesting, and the music, particularly Kenny Baker's trumpet playing, is very effective."

Allmovie wrote: "Not one of Fisher's more rousing films."

The Radio Times called it an "adequate mystery."

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "mediocre", writing: "Slow-paced whodunnit with phoney showbiz atmosphere. Star seems ill-at-ease."

Bibliography

• Hutchings, Peter. Terence Fisher. Manchester University Press, 2017.

External links

• Face the Music at IMDb