Hunted (film)
Encyclopedia
Hunted is a black-and-white
British film directed by Charles Crichton
and released in 1952
. Hunted is a crime drama in the form of a chase film, starring Dirk Bogarde
, and written by Jack Whittingham
and Michael McCarthy. It was produced by Julian Wintle and edited by Gordon Hales and Geoffrey Muller, with cinematography by Eric Cross
and music by Hubert Clifford. Hunted can also be seen as an unusual example of the buddy film
genre.
The film won the Golden Leopard
award at the 1952 Locarno International Film Festival
.
), an orphaned 6 year-old Scottish boy, has been placed with uncaring and harsh adoptive parents in London. Having accidentally set a small fire in the house, and fearing he will receive severe punishment as he has in the past for misdemeanours, he flees into the London streets. He finally takes shelter in a derelict bombed-out building, where he stumbles across Chris Lloyd (Dirk Bogarde
) and the body of the man Lloyd has just killed – his employer, who Lloyd had discovered was having an affair with his wife. Now on the run, and aware that Robbie is the only witness to his crime, Lloyd realises that he will have to get out of London and that he has no option but to take the boy with him. The film follows the pair as they travel northwards towards Scotland with the police in somewhat baffled pursuit, and charts the developing relationship between the two. Initially Lloyd regards Robbie dismissively, as an unwanted inconvenience, while Robbie is wary and suspicious of Lloyd. As their journey progresses however, the pair gradually develop a strong bond of friendship, trust and common cause, with both feeling they have burned their bridges and now have nothing to lose. They finally reach a small Scottish fishing port, where Lloyd steals a boat and sets sail for Ireland. During the voyage Robbie falls seriously ill, and Lloyd turns the boat back towards Scotland, where he knows the police are waiting for him.
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
British film directed by Charles Crichton
Charles Crichton
Charles Crichton was an English film director and film editor. He became best known for directing comedies produced at Ealing Studios...
and released in 1952
1952 in film
The year 1952 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 10 - Cecil B. DeMille's circus epic, The Greatest Show on Earth, premieres at Radio City Music Hall in New York City....
. Hunted is a crime drama in the form of a chase film, starring Dirk Bogarde
Dirk Bogarde
Sir Dirk Bogarde was an English actor and novelist. Initially a matinee idol in such films as Doctor in the House and other Rank Organisation pictures, Bogarde later acted in art-house films such as Death in Venice...
, and written by Jack Whittingham
Jack Whittingham
Jack Whittingham was a British playwright, film critic, and screenwriter. He was educated at Charterhouse and Christ Church, Oxford....
and Michael McCarthy. It was produced by Julian Wintle and edited by Gordon Hales and Geoffrey Muller, with cinematography by Eric Cross
Eric Cross (cinematographer)
Eric Cross was an English cinematographer.-Filmography:* Song of Freedom * Ships with Wings * Chance of a Lifetime * Hunted * Private's Progress...
and music by Hubert Clifford. Hunted can also be seen as an unusual example of the buddy film
Buddy film
The buddy film is a film genre in which two people of the same sex are paired. The two often contrast in personality, which creates a different dynamic onscreen than a pairing of two people of the opposite sex. The contrast is sometimes accentuated by an ethnic difference between the two...
genre.
The film won the Golden Leopard
Golden Leopard
The Golden Leopard is the top prize at the Locarno International Film Festival, an international film festival held annually in Locarno, Switzerland since 1946. Directors in the process of getting an international reputation are allowed to be entered in the competitive selection. The winning films...
award at the 1952 Locarno International Film Festival
Locarno International Film Festival
The Film Festival Locarno is an international film festival held annually in the city of Locarno, Switzerland since 1946. After Cannes and Venice and together with Karlovy Vary, Locarno is the Film Festival with the longest history...
.
Plot
Robbie (Jon WhiteleyJon Whiteley
Jon Whiteley was a child actor in films.Whiteley appeared in five films during his brief career, and it was for the second of these, The Little Kidnappers that he, along with co-star Vincent Winter, was awarded an Academy Juvenile Award for this film...
), an orphaned 6 year-old Scottish boy, has been placed with uncaring and harsh adoptive parents in London. Having accidentally set a small fire in the house, and fearing he will receive severe punishment as he has in the past for misdemeanours, he flees into the London streets. He finally takes shelter in a derelict bombed-out building, where he stumbles across Chris Lloyd (Dirk Bogarde
Dirk Bogarde
Sir Dirk Bogarde was an English actor and novelist. Initially a matinee idol in such films as Doctor in the House and other Rank Organisation pictures, Bogarde later acted in art-house films such as Death in Venice...
) and the body of the man Lloyd has just killed – his employer, who Lloyd had discovered was having an affair with his wife. Now on the run, and aware that Robbie is the only witness to his crime, Lloyd realises that he will have to get out of London and that he has no option but to take the boy with him. The film follows the pair as they travel northwards towards Scotland with the police in somewhat baffled pursuit, and charts the developing relationship between the two. Initially Lloyd regards Robbie dismissively, as an unwanted inconvenience, while Robbie is wary and suspicious of Lloyd. As their journey progresses however, the pair gradually develop a strong bond of friendship, trust and common cause, with both feeling they have burned their bridges and now have nothing to lose. They finally reach a small Scottish fishing port, where Lloyd steals a boat and sets sail for Ireland. During the voyage Robbie falls seriously ill, and Lloyd turns the boat back towards Scotland, where he knows the police are waiting for him.
Cast
- Dirk BogardeDirk BogardeSir Dirk Bogarde was an English actor and novelist. Initially a matinee idol in such films as Doctor in the House and other Rank Organisation pictures, Bogarde later acted in art-house films such as Death in Venice...
as Chris Lloyd - Jon WhiteleyJon WhiteleyJon Whiteley was a child actor in films.Whiteley appeared in five films during his brief career, and it was for the second of these, The Little Kidnappers that he, along with co-star Vincent Winter, was awarded an Academy Juvenile Award for this film...
as Robbie - Elizabeth SellarsElizabeth SellarsElizabeth Sellars is a British actress.Sellars was born in Glasgow, Scotland. She appeared on the stage from age 15 and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts...
as Magda Lloyd - Kay WalshKay WalshKay Walsh was an English actress and dancer. She grew up in Pimlico, raised by her grandmother....
as Mrs. Sykes - Frederick PiperFrederick PiperFrederick Piper was an English actor who appeared in over 80 films and many television productions in a career spanning over 40 years. Never a leading player, Piper was usually cast in minor, sometimes uncredited, parts although he also appeared in some more substantial supporting roles...
as Mr. Sykes - Julian Somers as Jack Lloyd
- Jane Aird as Mrs. Campbell
- Jack Stewart as Mr. Campbell
- Geoffrey KeenGeoffrey KeenGeoffrey Keen was an English actor who appeared in supporting roles in many famous films.-Early life:Keen was born in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, England, the son of stage actor Malcolm Keen. He was educated at Bristol Grammar School. He then joined the Little Repertory Theatre in Bristol for whom...
as Detective Inspector Drakin
Location filming
Much of the film was shot on location, with three main areas being used.- The early London exterior scenes were shot in the PimlicoPimlicoPimlico is a small area of central London in the City of Westminster. Like Belgravia, to which it was built as a southern extension, Pimlico is known for its grand garden squares and impressive Regency architecture....
/VictoriaVictoria, LondonVictoria is a commercial and residential area of inner city London, lying wholly within the City of Westminster, and named after Queen Victoria....
area, which at the time still had derelict corners showing evidence of wartime damage. - The location chosen for the scenes set in the English Midlands was the area in and around Stoke-on-TrentStoke-on-TrentStoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
, with its distinctive industrial skyline of factory chimneys and giant pottery kilnsKilnA kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, or oven, in which a controlled temperature regime is produced. Uses include the hardening, burning or drying of materials...
. The railway sequence in this section was shot on the now-defunct Potteries Loop Line, and this scene has come to be regarded as historically significant by British railway enthusiasts as it provides a very rare filmic depiction of the long-gone line in operation. - Scottish filming took place in the vicinity of the remote coastal village of PortpatrickPortpatrickPortpatrick is a village hanging on to the extreme south-westerly tip of mainland Scotland, cut into a cleft in steep cliffs.Dating back historically some 500 years, and built adjacent to the ruins of nearby Dunskey Castle, its position on the Rhins of Galloway affords visitors views of the...
in the far south-west of the country.