23 Paces to Baker Street (1956)

Director:

Henry Hathaway

Writers:

Philip MacDonald (novel)
Nigel Balchin (screenplay)

Release Date:

27 July 1956 (West Germany)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

Philip Hannon, a blind playwright living in London, overhears part of a conversation , that leads him into a desperate race...

Plot Keywords:

Rescue | Kidnapping | Fiancee | Blind Man | Hearing

Cast

Van Johnson	...	Phillip Hannon
Vera Miles	...	Jean Lennox
Cecil Parker	...	Bob Matthews
Patricia Laffan	...	Miss Alice MacDonald
Maurice Denham	...	Inspector Grovening
Estelle Winwood	...	Barmaid
Liam Redmond	...	Mr. Murch
Isobel Elsom	...	Lady Syrett
Martin Benson	...	Pillings
Natalie Norwick	...	Janet Murch
Terence de Marney	...	Sergeant Luce

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (magnetic prints) (Westrex Recording System) | Mono (optical prints)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #17867) | West Germany:12 (cut version) | West Germany:16 (uncut version) | UK:U | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Goofs:

Continuity: When Miss Lennox arrives at Philip's flat, she takes off her hat and puts it on a table. She doesn't put it on again before she leaves.

Movie Connections:

Version of The Nursemaid Who Disappeared (1939)

Clever Thriller

Now I will go to great trouble to avoid entering a spoiler like an earlier commenter. I give this film such a high rating because of the cleverness of toe concept: a blind man overhearing a conversation which indicates a crime is afoot. A tip of toe hat to the commentator who noticed the similarity between this movie and Argento's Cat O' Nine Tails ... a similarity that immediately crossed my mind the first time I saw the Argento flick. Anyway, 23 Paces to Baker Street could easily be an Argento giallo with the clever plot twists, but it lacks the gore most Argento fans want. I enjoyed 23P in 1956 when it was new and I was my voice had not changed. The plot twists and surprises have remained vividly in my memory for 50 years. Oddly I didn't notice a resemblance to Rear Window but I was very young then. I heartily recommend 23P to Baker Street. It's most suspenseful!