Green for Danger (film)
| Green for Danger | |
|---|---|
 Green for Danger film poster | |
| Directed by | Sidney Gilliat |
| Produced by |
Frank Launder Sidney Gilliat |
| Written by |
Christianna Brand (novel) Sidney Gilliat Claud Gurney |
| Starring |
Alastair Sim Leo Genn Sally Gray Trevor Howard |
| Music by | William Alwyn |
| Cinematography | Wilkie Cooper |
| Edited by | Thelma Myers |
Production company |
Individual Pictures |
| Distributed by | General Film Distributors |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 91 min. |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Green for Danger is a 1946 British thriller film, based on the 1944 detective novel of the same name by Christianna Brand. The film was directed by Sidney Gilliat and stars Alastair Sim, Trevor Howard, Sally Gray and Rosamund John. The film was shot at Pinewood Studios in England. The title is a reference to the colour-coding used on anaesthetists' gas bottles.
Plot
In August 1944, during the V-1 Doodlebug offensive on London, a murder is committed in Heron's Park Emergency Hospital, a rural British hospital somewhere in the Southeast of England. Joseph Higgins (Marriott) dies on the operating table after being injured by a flying bomb. The anaesthetist, Barney Barnes (Howard), has had a patient die in similar circumstances previously.
Inspector Cockrill (Sim) is asked to investigate when Sister Bates (Campbell) is killed after revealing that the death of Higgins was not an accident. Cockrill states at one point: "My presence lay over the hospital like a pall – I found it all tremendously enjoyable." Cockrill's investigation is hampered by the conflict between Barnes and Eden (Genn) because of their competition over the affections of nurse Freddi (Gray). After another murder attempt is directed at Freddi, the inspector restages the operation in order to unmask the murderer.
Cast
- Sally Gray as Nurse Frederica 'Freddi' Linley
- Trevor Howard as Dr. Barney Barnes
- Rosamund John as Nurse Esther Sanson
- Alastair Sim as Inspector Cockrill
- Leo Genn as Mr. Eden
- Judy Campbell as Sister Marion Bates
- Megs Jenkins as Nurse Woods
- Moore Marriott as Joseph Higgins (the Postman)
- Henry Edwards as Mr. Purdy
- Ronald Adam as Dr. White
- George Woodbridge as Detective Sergeant Hendricks
- Wendy Thompson as Sister Carter
- John Rae as The Porter
- Frank Ling as Rescue Worker
Reception
According to trade papers, the film was a "notable box office attraction" at British cinemas in 1947.[1]