Seven Days to Noon (1950)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Directors:

John Boulting
Roy Boulting

Writers:

James Bernard (story)
Roy Boulting (writer)

Release Date:

18 December 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller | Drama

Plot:

An English scientist runs away from a research center with an atomic bomb. In a letter sent to the British...

Plot Keywords:

Scotland Yard | Atomic Bomb | Footsteps | London England | Evacuation

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Barry Jones	...	Professor John Malcolm Francis Willingdon
André Morell	...	Superintendent G.W. Folland
Hugh Cross	...	Stephen 'Steve' Lane
Sheila Manahan	...	Ann Willingdon
Olive Sloane	...	Goldie Phillips
Joan Hickson	...	Mrs. Emily Georgina Peckett
Ronald Adam	...	Honorable Arthur Lytton - the Prime Minister
Marie Ney	...	Mrs. Willingdon
Wyndham Goldie	...	Vicar
Russell Waters	...	Det. Davis
Martin Boddey	...	Gen. Willoughby
Frederick Allen	...	Himself - BBC Newsreader
Victor Maddern	...	Jackson (trigger-happy soldier)
Geoffrey Keen	...	Loudmouth in pub
Merrill Mueller	...	American commentator: by courtesy of the National Broadcasting Company

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-15 (new rating: 2001) | France:U | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:Btl | UK:A

Filming Locations:

Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Westminster, London, England, UK

Company:

Boulting Brothers

Trivia:

First original cinema score of John Addison

Package Of Destruction

Seven Days To Noon is ironically one of those films that has grown into the times rather than be dated. It's certainly a relevant film given the threat of nuclear terror today.

But back in 1950 I don't believe the technical expertise was there so that Barry Jones or anyone else could have put a device like that in a briefcase. Take a look at pictures of Fat Man and Little Boy the code names for the weapons dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Those things could not have fit in a briefcase and developments hadn't advanced that far in five years. Now sad to say it actually could be done.

Barry Jones is an atomic scientist who is suffering from fatigue and overwork and a questioning mind about what exactly he's developing. His mind snaps and he takes one of the weapons Great Britain has been developing and sends a letter to the Prime Minister. Issue a statement you'll stop the program or he's going to explode his package on Sunday at high noon.

That sets up a manhunt for Jones throughout the United Kingdom, but especially of course in London. His note does specify the seat of the government. Andre Morrell as a Scotland Yard Inspector, Hugh Cross as one of his fellow scientists who will have to disarm the device once located, and Sheila Manahan as his daughter lead the search for Jones and the package of destruction he has.

Despite the fact that it was a technological impossibility in 1950, Seven Days To Noon is still an effective thriller of a film, worthy of a Hitchcock. It's interesting that they came close to getting Jones a few times before they do catch up. Best in the film is Olive Sloane the frowzy former music hall entertainer who Jones holds as a hostage for a while. She wants to do her bit as well as she's trying to get to Aldershot to entertain the troops.

Seven Days To Noon got an Oscar for Best Screen Story. It remains one of the few films that actually grew technologically and became more relevant now than when it first came out.