Drama

Mr. Denning Drives North

When well-off aircraft designer Denning finds his daughter's current boyfriend is a nasty character he tries to buy him off, ending up hitting him and causing his death when he falls. Instead of calling the police he dumps the body in a lonely spot on the road to the North, making it look like a hit-and-run accident. Weeks later there is still no report of the body being found, and Denning starts to go to pieces. When he lets his wife into his secret the two start making enquiries, possibly making things worse.

Release Date : 1951-12-18

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : London Films Productions

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Tom Denning

Original Name : John Mills

Gender : Male

Character Name : Kay Denning

Original Name : Phyllis Calvert

Gender : Female

Character Name : Liz Denning

Original Name : Eileen Moore

Gender : Female

Character Name : Chick Eddowes

Original Name : Sam Wanamaker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mados

Original Name : Herbert Lom

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wright

Original Name : Raymond Huntley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Inspector Dodds

Original Name : Bernard Lee

Gender : Male

Character Name : Harry Stoper

Original Name : Russell Waters

Gender : Male

Character Name : Woods

Original Name : Wilfrid Hyde-White

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ma Smith

Original Name : Freda Jackson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ted Smith

Original Name : Trader Faulkner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Matilda

Original Name : Sheila Shand Gibbs

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chairman of Court

Original Name : Michael Shepley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Coroner

Original Name : Ronald Adam

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wilson

Original Name : John Stuart

Gender : Male

Character Name : Inspector Snell

Original Name : Hugh Morton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chauffeur

Original Name : David Davies

Gender : Male

Character Name : Miss Blade

Original Name : Ambrosine Phillpotts

Gender : Female

Character Name : Yardley

Original Name : Herbert C. Walton

Gender : Male

Character Name : First Patrolman

Original Name : John Stevens

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Fisher

Original Name : Lyn Evans

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Ash

Original Name : John Warren

Gender : Male

Character Name : Clerk of the Court

Original Name : Raymond Francis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Second Patrolman

Original Name : Edward Evans

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gypsy (uncredited)

Original Name : Madge Brindley

Gender : Female

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Sam Kydd

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gypsy (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Terry

Gender : Male

Character Name : Minor Role (uncredited)

Original Name : Peter Sallis

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

The Denning Desperation. Mr. Denning Drives North is directed by Anthony Kimmins and adapted to screenplay from his own novel by Alec Coppel. It stars John Mills, Phyliss Calvert, Eileen Moore, Sam Wannamaker and Herbert Lom. Music is by Benjamin Frankel and cinematography by John Wilcox. A splendid collage of murder mystery, noir and thriller - with a slice of Hitchcockian black humour thrown in for good measure, Kimmins' film deserves to be better known. Plot finds Mills as the Mr. Denning of the title, who after accidentally killing what he believes to be his daughter's unscrupulous boyfriend, dumps the body and then finds himself in a whirl of stricken conscience and panic. To say more would be to spoil the fun for there are plenty of interesting roads on which the story travels, but it's safe to say the investigation of the missing body is gripping and has a delicious slice of ironic fate about it. Cast are excellent, particularly Mills, with the leads boosted by a roll call of British greats in supporting roles. Frankel provides a very lively musical score and Wilcox's photography has the requisite tonal accompaniments for the unfolding plot. Hats off also to Kimmins, who keeps a tight hold on things to let the drama flow naturally without histrionics. From a nifty expressionistic opening to a very cheeky and fulfilling finale, this very much is one for murder mystery, noir, thriller fans to seek out. 7.5/10