Stranger at My Door (1950 film)
{{Short description|1950 British film by Brendan J. Stafford}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Stranger at My Door
| image = Stranger_at_my_Door_film_Theatrical_release_poster_(1950-2).png
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Brendan J. Stafford
| story =
| producer = Paul King
| writer =
| screenplay = Desmond Leslie
| editing = Ann Barker
| music = Leslie Bridgewater
| starring = Valentine Dyall
Joseph O'Conor
Agnes Bernelle
| cinematography = Brendan J. Stafford
| studio = Leinster Films
| distributor =
| released = {{Film date|df=y|1950}}
| runtime = 84 minutes
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| budget =
}}
Stranger at My Door (also known as At a Dublin Inn) is a 1950 second feature ('B'){{Cite book |last1=Chibnall |first1=Steve |title=The British 'B' Film |last2=McFarlane |first2=Brian |publisher=BFI/Bloomsbury |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-8445-7319-6 |location=London |pages=194}} British film directed by Brendan J. Stafford and starring Valentine Dyall, Joseph O'Conor and Agnes Bernelle.{{Cite web|title=Stranger at My Door|url=https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/ChoiceFilmWorks/150047546|access-date=9 January 2025|website=British Film Institute Collections Search}} It was written by Desmond Leslie.
Plot
The story is narrated in flashback. Michael Foley is a young Irish ex-soldier whose girlfriend Laura is the victim of suave English blackmailer Paul Wheeler. Foley unwillingly resorts to crime to obtain money to pay off Wheeler.
Cast
- Valentine Dyall as Paul Wheeler
- Joseph O'Conor as Michael Foley
- Agnes Bernelle as Laura Riorden
- Maire O'Neill as Clarissa Finnegan
- Liam O'Leary as Kelly
- Jill Raymond as Kate
- Harry Hutchinson as Sean the publican
- Michael Moore as Septimus Small
- W. E. Holloway as the canon
- Michael Seavers as altar boy
- Alan Gore-Lewis as Detective Duffy
- Charles Mansell as Inspector O'Brien
- Dorothy Dewhurst as Laura's landlady
- Madelene Burgess as Rita
- Bea Duffell as Proctor Finnigan
- Jimmy Page as Guarda O'Toole
- Charles Vance as Guarda Hanlon
- Malachy Keegan as Guarda Heggetty
- Katherine Mora as the fence
- Nigel Neilsen as ballad singer
Reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Confused but quite well handled thriller. ... Pleasant use of Dublin locations, and a good performance from Joseph O'Connor [sic] as the hero."{{Cite magazine|date=1 January 1950|title=Stranger at my Door|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1305811537|magazine=The Monthly Film Bulletin|volume=17|issue=193|pages=69|id={{ProQuest|1305811537}} |url-access=subscription | via=ProQuest}}
Kine Weekly wrote: "Romantic crime melodrama, with a strong Irish flavour. ... Although direction is a trifle uneven, authentic Dublin backgrounds and an exciting rooftop chase climax cancel out most of its shortcomings. ...The picture goes out of its way to get a new slant on 'crime does not pay' and even if it is a little pretentious in places and forced in its comedy, it has convincing atmosphere."{{Cite magazine |date=13 April 1950 |title=Stranger at My Door |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2732595292 |url-access=subscription |magazine=Kine Weekly |pages=21 |via=ProQuest |volume=398 |issue=2241|id={{ProQuest|2732595292}} }}
Picture Show called the film an "exciting, if drawn-out, crime melodrama, ... told with humour and reality."{{Cite magazine |date=16 December 1950 |title=Stranger at my Door |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1879617337 |url-access=subscription |magazine=Picture Show |pages=10 |via=ProQuest |volume=55 |issue=1446|id={{ProQuest|1879617337}} }}
Chibnall and McFarlane, in The British 'B' Film, describe the film as "hardboiled melodrama".
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|0177258|Stranger at My Door}}
Category:British black-and-white films