Seven Days to Noon
Encyclopedia
Seven Days to Noon is a 1950
British
drama
/ thriller film directed by John Boulting and Roy Boulting. Paul Dehn
and James Bernard won the Academy Award for Best Story
for this film.
, (Ronald Adam
), is sent a letter by Professor Willingdon (Barry Jones
), who works at Britain's Atomic weapons development facility, the Wallingford Research Centre, from which he has surreptitiously taken a nuclear warhead. It is a very explicit threat that Willingdon will destroy the centre of London
in a week's time, at noon (hence the film title), unless the British government declares that it is to stop all stockpiling of nuclear warheads. Detective
Superintendent
Folland (André Morell
) of Scotland Yard's
Special Branch
is charged with tracking down Willingdon and stopping him.
Arriving at the (fictitious) Wallingford Research Centre (based on the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment {AWRE} at Aldermaston
), Folland's team find Willingdon missing, along with a nuclear bomb. Willingdon's assistant Lane (Hugh Cross) is recruited to help and they return to London to search for him.
Willingdon, carrying his bomb in a Gladstone bag
, finds lodgings with Mrs. Peckitt (Joan Hickson
), but spooks her with his constant pacing around his room during the night. The following morning, he leaves early and seeing a 'wanted' poster with his face, disguises himself with a new coat and having his moustache shaved off.
Folland's team plan for the worst and get Cabinet approval to evacuate London. Rumours begin to fly that another war is about to be declared, and the Prime Minister agrees to do a radio broadcast to try to quash these, and appeal to Willingdon to give himself up.
The next day, Willingdon's daughter, Ann (Sheila Manahan
), turns up at Folland's office to demand some answers. Folland tells her all and asks her to stay and help - she may be the only person the professor will listen to.
Mrs. Peckitt reports Willingdon to the police, thinking that he is a 'landlady murderer' reported in the paper, but a quick-thinking constable realises the description better matches Willingdon and a car is sent to check him.
Unfortunately, Willingdon spots it on his way back to his lodgings and makes a quiet get-away. Driving back to their hotel from the police operations centre, Lane and Ann Willingdon spot the professor and try to catch him. An updated description is quickly circulated.
That evening Willingdon bumps into 'Mrs' "Goldie" Phillips (Olive Sloane
), she offers that he can buy her a drink, the two of them having met, by chance, earlier at a pawn brokers. Without any lodgings, Goldie offers him her 'spare' bed for the night. By this time, London is being evacuated and Willingdon decides to lie low. The troops have begun to search and Goldie's bedsit seems a good place to remain hidden. Willingdon is forced to hold Goldie hostage, fearing that if he didn't, she would inform the authorities of his location.
The streets cleared, Willingdon makes his escape and finds his final refuge, a bomb blitzed
church. The net steadily closes and Willingdon is finally found, praying. Lane, Ann and Folland arrive to try to talk the professor away from his bag. He panics, runs from the church, and is killed by an even more panicking soldier. With seconds to spare, Lane has the bomb defused.
1950 in film
The year 1950 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 15 - Walt Disney Studios' animated film Cinderella debuts.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:*Ambush...
British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
drama
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
/ thriller film directed by John Boulting and Roy Boulting. Paul Dehn
Paul Dehn
Paul Dehn was a British screenwriter.-Biography and work:Dehn was born in 1912 in Manchester, England. He was educated at Shrewsbury School, and attended Brasenose College, Oxford...
and James Bernard won the Academy Award for Best Story
Academy Award for Best Story
The Academy Award for Best Story was an Academy Award given from the beginning of the Academy Awards until 1957, when it was eliminated in favor of the Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay, which had been introduced in 1940.-1920s:...
for this film.
Plot
The film is set in the early 1950s. The British Prime MinisterPrime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, (Ronald Adam
Ronald Adam (actor)
Ronald Adam OBE , born Ronald George Hinings Adams, was a British RAF officer, an actor on stage and screen and a successful theatre manager.-Early life:...
), is sent a letter by Professor Willingdon (Barry Jones
Barry Jones (actor)
Barry Jones was an actor seen in British and American films, on American television and on the stage.-Biography:...
), who works at Britain's Atomic weapons development facility, the Wallingford Research Centre, from which he has surreptitiously taken a nuclear warhead. It is a very explicit threat that Willingdon will destroy the centre of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in a week's time, at noon (hence the film title), unless the British government declares that it is to stop all stockpiling of nuclear warheads. Detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
Superintendent
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
Folland (André Morell
André Morell
André Morell was a British actor. He appeared frequently in theatre, film and on television from the 1930s to the 1970s...
) of Scotland Yard's
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
Special Branch
Special Branch
Special Branch is a label customarily used to identify units responsible for matters of national security in British and Commonwealth police forces, as well as in the Royal Thai Police...
is charged with tracking down Willingdon and stopping him.
Arriving at the (fictitious) Wallingford Research Centre (based on the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment {AWRE} at Aldermaston
Aldermaston
Aldermaston is a rural village, civil parish and electoral ward in Berkshire, South-East England. In the 2001 United Kingdom Census, the parish had a population of 927. The village is on the southern edge of the River Kennet flood plain, near the Hampshire county boundary...
), Folland's team find Willingdon missing, along with a nuclear bomb. Willingdon's assistant Lane (Hugh Cross) is recruited to help and they return to London to search for him.
Willingdon, carrying his bomb in a Gladstone bag
Gladstone bag
A Gladstone bag is a small portmanteau suitcase built over a rigid frame which could separate into two equal sections. Unlike a suitcase, a Gladstone bag is "deeper in proportion to its length." They are typically made of stiff leather and often belted with lanyards...
, finds lodgings with Mrs. Peckitt (Joan Hickson
Joan Hickson
Joan Hickson OBE was an English actress of theatre, film and television, famed for playing Agatha Christie's Miss Marple in the television series Miss Marple.- Wivenhoe :...
), but spooks her with his constant pacing around his room during the night. The following morning, he leaves early and seeing a 'wanted' poster with his face, disguises himself with a new coat and having his moustache shaved off.
Folland's team plan for the worst and get Cabinet approval to evacuate London. Rumours begin to fly that another war is about to be declared, and the Prime Minister agrees to do a radio broadcast to try to quash these, and appeal to Willingdon to give himself up.
The next day, Willingdon's daughter, Ann (Sheila Manahan
Sheila Manahan
Sheila Manahan was an Irish actress. Among her film roles were Ann Willingdon in Seven Days to Noon , Esther's mother in The Story of Esther Costello , and Mrs. Jenkins in Only Two Can Play , with Peter Sellers and Mai Zetterling. She was married to the Scottish actor, Fulton Mackay.-External links:...
), turns up at Folland's office to demand some answers. Folland tells her all and asks her to stay and help - she may be the only person the professor will listen to.
Mrs. Peckitt reports Willingdon to the police, thinking that he is a 'landlady murderer' reported in the paper, but a quick-thinking constable realises the description better matches Willingdon and a car is sent to check him.
Unfortunately, Willingdon spots it on his way back to his lodgings and makes a quiet get-away. Driving back to their hotel from the police operations centre, Lane and Ann Willingdon spot the professor and try to catch him. An updated description is quickly circulated.
That evening Willingdon bumps into 'Mrs' "Goldie" Phillips (Olive Sloane
Olive Sloane
Olive Sloane was an English actress whose film career spanned over 40 years from the silent era through to her death...
), she offers that he can buy her a drink, the two of them having met, by chance, earlier at a pawn brokers. Without any lodgings, Goldie offers him her 'spare' bed for the night. By this time, London is being evacuated and Willingdon decides to lie low. The troops have begun to search and Goldie's bedsit seems a good place to remain hidden. Willingdon is forced to hold Goldie hostage, fearing that if he didn't, she would inform the authorities of his location.
The streets cleared, Willingdon makes his escape and finds his final refuge, a bomb blitzed
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
church. The net steadily closes and Willingdon is finally found, praying. Lane, Ann and Folland arrive to try to talk the professor away from his bag. He panics, runs from the church, and is killed by an even more panicking soldier. With seconds to spare, Lane has the bomb defused.
Selected cast
- Barry JonesBarry Jones (actor)Barry Jones was an actor seen in British and American films, on American television and on the stage.-Biography:...
as Professor John Malcolm Francis Willingdon - Olive SloaneOlive SloaneOlive Sloane was an English actress whose film career spanned over 40 years from the silent era through to her death...
as Goldie Phillips - André MorellAndré MorellAndré Morell was a British actor. He appeared frequently in theatre, film and on television from the 1930s to the 1970s...
as Superintendent Folland - Sheila ManahanSheila ManahanSheila Manahan was an Irish actress. Among her film roles were Ann Willingdon in Seven Days to Noon , Esther's mother in The Story of Esther Costello , and Mrs. Jenkins in Only Two Can Play , with Peter Sellers and Mai Zetterling. She was married to the Scottish actor, Fulton Mackay.-External links:...
as Ann Willingdon - Hugh Cross as Stephen 'Steve' Lane
- Joan HicksonJoan HicksonJoan Hickson OBE was an English actress of theatre, film and television, famed for playing Agatha Christie's Miss Marple in the television series Miss Marple.- Wivenhoe :...
as Mrs. Emily Georgina Peckett - Ronald AdamRonald Adam (actor)Ronald Adam OBE , born Ronald George Hinings Adams, was a British RAF officer, an actor on stage and screen and a successful theatre manager.-Early life:...
as Honorable Arthur Lytton, the Prime Minister - Marie NeyMarie NeyMarie Ney was a British actress who had an acting career spanning five decades, from 1919 to 1969....
as Mrs. Willingdon - Wyndham Goldie as Reverend Burgess, the vicar of Wallingford
- Russell WatersRussell WatersRussell Waters was a Scottish film actor.Waters was educated at Hutchesons' Grammar School, Glasgow and the University of Glasgow. He began acting with the Old English Comedy and Shakespeare Company then appeared in repertory theatre, at the Old Vic and in the West End. On screen Waters generally...
as Detective Davis - Martin BoddeyMartin BoddeyMartin Boddey was a British film and television actor.He was a founder member of the Lord's Taverners charity.-Selected filmography:* The Twenty Questions Murder Mystery * Cairo Road...
as General Willoughby - Frederick Allen as Himself, a BBC announcer
- Victor MaddernVictor MaddernVictor Jack Maddern was an English actor.Born in Seven Kings, Ilford, Essex, Maddern was one of large group of dependable supporting actors that British film produced over the years....
as Private Jackson - 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 Alf, loudmouth in the pub - Merrill Mueller as the American commentator
- Joss AcklandJoss AcklandSidney Edmond Jocelyn Ackland CBE , known as Joss Ackland, is an English actor who has appeared in more than 130 films and numerous television roles.-Early life:...
as Young policeman at the police station (uncredited) - Jean AndersonJean AndersonJean Anderson was an English actress born in Eastbourne, Sussex. She is best remembered for her television roles as hard-faced matriarch Mary Hammond in the 1970s BBC drama The Brothers and as rebellious aristocrat Lady Jocelyn "Joss" Holbrook in the 1980s Second World War series Tenko .She is...
as Mother at Train Station (uncredited) - Ernest ClarkErnest ClarkErnest Clark was a British actor of stage, television and film.-Early life:Clark was the son of a master builder in Maida Vale, and was educated nearby at St Marylebone Grammar School. After leaving school he became a reporter on a local newspaper in Croydon...
as Barber (uncredited) - Sam KyddSam KyddSam Kydd was an Ulster-born English actor. An army officer's son, he was born in Belfast, but moved to London, England when he was a child. He was educated at Dunstable Grammar School in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England....
as Soldier in House Search (uncredited) - Bruce SetonBruce SetonMajor Sir Bruce Lovat Seton of Abercorn, 11th Baronet , better known as Bruce Seton, was a British actor and soldier....
as Brigadier Grant (uncredited) - Marianne StoneMarianne StoneMarianne Stone was a British character actress. She appeared in many films from the early 1940s to the late 1980s...
as Woman in Phone Box (uncredited)