Wheel of Fate (film)
| Wheel of Fate | |
|---|---|
 Lobby card | |
| Directed by | Francis Searle |
| Written by | Guy Elmes |
| Based on | Nightmare by Alex Atkinson |
| Produced by | Francis Searle |
| Starring | Patric Doonan Sandra Dorne Bryan Forbes |
| Cinematography | Reg Wyer |
| Edited by | Vera Campbell |
| Music by | Temple Abady |
Production company | Kenilworth Film Productions |
| Distributed by | General Film Distributors |
Release date |
|
Running time | 72 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Wheel of Fate is a 1953 British second feature ('B')[1] drama film directed by Francis Searle and starring Patric Doonan, Sandra Dorne and Bryan Forbes.[2][3] It was written by Guy Elmes based on the story "Nightmare" by Alex Atkinson. It was released by Rank's General Film Distributors.
A man turns to crime to raise the money he needs to spend time with the woman he loves.
Plot
[edit]Two brothers working in their father's repair garage, quiet sensible Johnny and the younger and wilder Ted, fall out when Ted brings home Lucky, a beautiful dance hall singer. The brothers feud when she unexpectedly falls for Johnny, and crime and mayhem ensue.
Cast
[edit]- Patric Doonan as Johnny Burrows
- Sandra Dorne as Lucky Price
- Bryan Forbes as Ted Reid
- John Horsley as Detective Sergeant Simpson
- Johnnie Schofield as Len Bright
- Martin Benson as Riscoe
- Cyril Smith as Perce
- Bernard Rebel
- Fred Griffiths
- Michael McCarthy
- Bartlett Mullins
- Frederick Treves
Production
[edit]The film was shot at Riverside Studios in London with sets designed by the art director Wilfred Arnold.
Reception
[edit]The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "'The most convincing things in this flat little crime story are Johnny's sketches and the old, paralysed father, neither of which appears on the screen."[4]
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "poor", writing: "A low-point even of British 'B's of the 1950s – alternately ludicrous and depressing."[5] Chibnall and McFarlane in The British 'B' Film called the film: "an entertainingly gritty piece of English noir."[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 153. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
- ^ "Wheel of Fate". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
- ^ BFI.org
- ^ "Wheel of Fate". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 20 (228): 137. 1 January 1953 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 398. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.
External links
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