Dr. Crippen (1962 film)
| Dr. Crippen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Robert Lynn |
| Written by | Leigh Vance |
| Produced by | |
| Starring | Donald Pleasence Coral Browne Samantha Eggar |
| Cinematography | Nicolas Roeg |
| Edited by | Lee Doig |
| Music by | Ken Jones |
Production company | Torchlight Productions |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date | 1962 |
Running time | 98 mins |
| Country | United Kingdom |
Dr. Crippen is a 1962 British biographical film directed by Robert Lynn and starring Donald Pleasence, Coral Browne and Samantha Eggar. The film's plot concerns the real-life Edwardian doctor Hawley Harvey Crippen, who was hanged in 1910 for the murder of his wife. The cinematography was by Nicolas Roeg.[1]
Plot[]
Crippen is portrayed as a downtrodden cuckold continually humiliated by his coarse, overbearing wife. There is a strong suggestion in the story that he may have been innocent of murder, possibly killing his wife by accident, and that his younger mistress Ethel Le Neve is completely ignorant of the killing. The plot ostensibly covers Crippen's trial but the story is fleshed out with flashbacks to the doctor's relationship with his wife and his affair.
Cast[]
- Donald Pleasence as Dr. Crippen
- Coral Browne as Belle Elmore/Cora Crippen
- Samantha Eggar as Ethel Le Neve
- Donald Wolfit as R.D. Muir
- James Robertson Justice as Captain McKenzie
- John Arnatt as Chief Inspector Dew
- Oliver Johnston as Lord Chief Justice
- Geoffrey Toone as Mr. Tobin
- Edward Underdown as the Prison Governor
Critical reception[]
Bosley Crowther in The New York Times wrote, "well, one must give good scores to Mr. Pleasence, Miss Browne, Miss Eggar and the rest of the cast for giving a sense of solemnity and suffocation to this stiff tale...the mystery, the action and the pathos are all too academic and thin—too milky and uneventful — except for those who are real Crippen fans".[2] Britmovie noted a "sincere historical reconstruction about the infamous Edwardian murderer blending courtroom and melodrama. The direction from tv helmer Robert Lynn is satisfactory and is brightly captured in atmospheric black-and-white by cinematographer Nicolas Roeg."[3]
References[]
- ^ "Dr. Crippen". BFI. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012.
- ^ "Movie Review - Dr Crippen - Dr. Crippen' Stars Donald Pleasence:British Movie Opens at the Paramount - NYTimes.com". nytimes.com.
- ^ "Dr Crippen". britmovie.co.uk. Archived from the original on 17 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
External links[]
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- 1962 films
- 1960s biographical drama films
- 1960s historical films
- British films
- British crime drama films
- British biographical drama films
- British black-and-white films
- English-language films
- British courtroom films
- British films based on actual events
- Films set in London
- 1962 drama films
- 1960s British film stubs