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Time Is My Enemy

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Time Is My Enemy
U.S. poster
Directed byDon Chaffey
Written byAllan MacKinnon
Based onthe play Second Chance by Ella Adkins[1]
Produced byRoger Proudlock
StarringDennis Price
Renée Asherson
Patrick Barr
CinematographyGeoffrey Faithfull
Edited bySam Simmonds
Production
company
Distributed byIndependent Film Distributors
Release date
  • 11 October 1954 (1954-10-11)
Running time
64 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Time Is My Enemy is a 1954 British crime film directed by Don Chaffey and starring Dennis Price, Renée Asherson and Patrick Barr.[2][3][4]

Plot

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Small-time crook Radley returns after a long absence to discover his wife Barbara has remarried, believing him killed in the Blitz. Finding her happily married to wealthy publisher John Everton, Radley begins blackmailing Barbara for £500 to keep their previous marriage quiet. When Radley kills a jeweller in a robbery, he is blackmailed by his roommate, so in turn threatens to also blackmail John Everton for £500. When she arrives at Radley's flat to pay the final instalment, he provokes her into shooting him. After surrendering herself to the police, Barbara discovers that all is not as it seems, Radley is wanted for more than one murder; and the police begin to question whether Radley is really dead after all.

Cast

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Critical reception

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The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "A confused thriller, handicapped mainly by an implausible (and complicated) story and artificial dialogue. Dennis Price, as the villain, suffers most from the shortcomings of the script; Duncan Lamont makes an agreeable Inspector."[5]

Kine Weekly wrote: "The picture appears a little humdrum at the start, but immediately the heroine becomes suspect interest quickens and there is no let-up before it reaches its neat dénouement. Renee Asherson contributes a warm, ingratiating study as Barbara, Dennis Price iy in his element as nasty piece of work Radley, Duncan Lamont thoroughly convinces as the keen yet understanding 'tec Charles, and guest artist Bonar Colleano registers in the "red herring" role of Radley's partner in crime, The domestic touches are at limes quite moving and subtly broaden the film's Sppiy without robbing its climax of surprise and punch. . Points of Appeal. – Tender and suspenseful tale, attractive and resourceful cast, provocative title, handy footage and quota ticket."[6]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Good cast well in character, but dialogue and situations make it routine."[7]

References

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  1. ^ Goble, Alan (1 January 1999). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 9783110951943 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "Time Is My Enemy". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Time Is My Enemy (1957) - Don Chaffey - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie".
  4. ^ "Time Is My Enemy (1954)". Archived from the original on 21 December 2016.
  5. ^ "Time Is My Enemy". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 21 (240): 149. 1 January 1954 – via ProQuest.
  6. ^ "Time Is My Enemy". Kine Weekly. 450 (2464): 24. 16 September 1954 – via ProQuest.
  7. ^ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 388. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.
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