The Blue Lamp (1950)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Basil Dearden

Writers:

T.E.B. Clarke (screenplay)
Jan Read (original treatment) ...

Release Date:

1 June 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

The unending battle of the city streets

Plot:

The daily routine of two London policemen is interrupted by a killer.

Plot Keywords:

Sergeant | Ealing

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Jack Warner	...	PC George Dixon
Jimmy Hanley	...	PC Andy Mitchell
Dirk Bogarde	...	Tom Riley
Robert Flemyng	...	Sgt. Roberts
Bernard Lee	...	Insp. Cherry
Peggy Evans	...	Diana Lewis
Patric Doonan	...	Spud
Bruce Seton	...	PC Campbell
Meredith Edwards	...	PC Hughes
Clive Morton	...	Sgt. Brooks
Frederick Piper	...	Alf Lewis
Dora Bryan	...	Maisie
Gladys Henson	...	Mrs Dixon
Tessie O'Shea	...	Herself

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

UK:PG | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #13840) | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Ealing Studios, Ealing, London, England, UK

Company:

Ealing Studios

Trivia:

Even though George Dixon is killed in this movie he managed to star in the spin off TV series "Dixon of Dock Green" (1955).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When car 5-D makes a turn at supposed high speed, just after PC Mitchell says "There they are", a woman and two children on the pavement at the left are also walking slightly faster than usual.

Quotes:

Diana Lewis: What d'ye think I am? Soft or something?
Spud: Yeah.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Ultimate Film (2004) (TV)

A London i remember

When the Blue Lamp was released i was around 3 years old.I therefore do remember the London that it shows.To me the film is more interesting in what it reveals about the London of 1950 than the actual story.It shows the Metropolitan Music hall in the Edgware Road.It was in the last few years of its life before the A4 cutting a swathe into London meant that it was demolished for "progress".Music Hall by this time was in its last throes and what was left would be rendered extinct by the arrival of ITV.We see the Colloseium in Harlesden.Every High Street had cinemas like this.If you look carefully you will see that they were showing "Granny Get Your Gun" a 1940 "B" feature with May Robson.So it was probably a second run house.There are the bomb sites.I remember that in certain parts of London,particularly the East End there mere were more such sites than actual buildings.The streets do not have a great deal of traffic as there was little traffic at that time.So a film of some sociological interest