White Corridors
| White Corridors | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Pat Jackson |
| Screenplay by | Jan Read Pat Jackson |
| Based on | novel Yeoman's Hospital by Helen Ashton |
| Produced by | Joseph Janni John Croydon |
| Starring | Googie Withers |
| Cinematography | C. M. Pennington-Richards |
| Edited by | Sidney Hayers |
Production company | Vic Films Productions |
| Distributed by | General Film Distributors (UK) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 102 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
White Corridors is a 1951 British drama film directed by Pat Jackson and starring Googie Withers, Godfrey Tearle, James Donald and Petula Clark.[1] It was written by Jan Read and Jackson based on the 1944 novel Yeoman's Hospital by Helen Ashton.
The film is set in a hospital shortly after the establishment of the National Health Service.[2]
Plot
[edit | edit source]The day-to-day life of the staff and patients at a city hospital.[3] The central story is that of doctors Sophie Dean and Neil Marriner, who are in love, and their fight to save the life of Tommy Briggs, a little boy with blood poisoning.
Cast
[edit | edit source]- Googie Withers as Dr. Sophie Dean
- James Donald as Dr. Neil Marriner
- Brand Inglis as Tommy Briggs
- Godfrey Tearle as Mr. Groom, Sr.
- Petula Clark as Joan Shepherd
- Jean Anderson as Sister Gater
- Timothy Bateson as Dr. Cook
- Fabia Drake as Miss Farmer
- Henry Edwards as Phillip Brewster
- Gerard Heinz as Dr. Macuzek
- Megs Jenkins as Mrs. Briggs
- Barry Jones as Dr. Shoesmith
- Avice Landone as Sister Jenkins
- Bernard Lee as Burgess
- Moira Lister as Dolly Clark
- Dandy Nichols as char
- Basil Radford as retired civil servant
- Bruce Seton as policeman
- Mary Hinton as matron
- Patrick Troughton as sailor
- Jack Watling as Dick Groom
- Philip Stainton as Sawyer
- Dana Wynter as Margery Brewster (uncredited)
- Deidre Doyle as woman patient (uncredited)
- Mignon O'Doherty as irrascible woman (uncredited)
- Humphrey Howorth as Chandler (uncredited)
- Patrick Troughton as man patient (uncredited)
- Dandy Nichols as woman in waiting room (uncredited)
Production
[edit | edit source]The film marked Googie Withers's return to acting after 13 months off following the birth of her child.[4] John Mills at one stage was announced to play the male lead.[5]
Bombardier Billy Wells, the man who strikes the gong on the Rank trademark, had a small role.[6]
Filming took place early 1951.[7] The director, Pat Jackson, claims making the film was "a joy" and says it was shot in five weeks.[8]
Reception
[edit | edit source]Box office
[edit | edit source]White Corridors was the 8th most popular film at the British box office in 1951.[9][10] it was judged by Kinematograph Weekly as a "notable performer" at British cinemas in 1951.[11]
Critical
[edit | edit source]The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The material of White Corridors is not distinguished, and its episodic structure emphasises that the characterisation is mainly one-dimensional; the interweaving of a series of glimpsed characters needed a firmer conception if real depth were to be given to them and thus to the whole background of the hospital which the film sets out to explore. But on a surface level the film is remarkably successful, due to the persuasive talents of its director, Pat Jackson."[12]
The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 3/5 stars, writing: "While it may sound like a hokey soap opera, it is actually a well-made British A-feature, realistically played by a large and excellent cast that includes a number of well-known faces."[13]
Leslie Halliwell said: "Competent multi-drama which found a big audience."[14]
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "very good", writing: "Intelligently handled, episodic medical drama always carries energy at its core."[15]
Accolades
[edit | edit source]At the 1951 BAFTAS it was nominated for Best Film and Best British Film.[16] Petula Clark was nominated for Best Supporting Actress.
References
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- ^ BFI.org
External links
[edit | edit source]- White Corridors at IMDbLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).