Emergency (1962 film)

Emergency
Emergency
	Original film quad poster
Directed by	Francis Searle
Written by	Don Nicholl; Jim O'Connolly; Lewis Gilbert; Vernon Harris;
Produced by	Ronald Liles; Francis Searle;
Starring	Glyn Houston; Zena Walker; Dermot Walsh;
Cinematography	Walter J. Harvey
Edited by	Jim Connock
Music by	John Veale
Production; company	Butcher's Film Service
Distributed by	Butcher's Film Distributors
Release date	December 1962;
Running time	60 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Emergency is a 1962 British second feature ('B')^[1] drama film directed by Francis Searle and starring Glyn Houston, Zena Walker and Dermot Walsh.^[2] It was written by Don Nicholl, Jim O'Connolly, Lewis Gilbert and Vernon Harris.

Plot

A small girl is hit by a truck and urgently needs a blood transfusion for a life-saving operation. Her blood group is extremely rare, and Police locate the only three possible donors: an imprisoned murderer awaiting execution, a treasonous atomic scientist, and a soccer player about to play a crucial match.

Cast

Glyn Houston as Inspector Harris
Zena Walker as Joan Bell
Dermot Walsh as John Bell
Colin Tapley as Dr. Lloyd
Garard Green as Professor Graham
Anthony Dawes as Sergeant Phillips
Patrick Jordan as Jimmy Regan
Edward Ogden as Tommy Day
Helen Forrest as Mrs. Day
Sidney Vivian as Shaw
John Boxer as Prison Governor

Production

The film is a remake of Emergency Call (1952). It was shot at Twickenham Studios and on location in West London. Sets were designed by art director Duncan Sutherland.

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Bearing a strong resemblance to Butcher's ten-year-old Emergency Call, this film is as unlikely and complex as it was then. The characterisation, too, is improbable, with a convicted murderer, a professional footballer and an atomic scientist who is the pawn of a foreign power making up the blood donors."^[3]

The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "Francis Searle's anaemic little movie recreates the agony of an estranged couple and their young daughter who is in desperate need of a blood donor. Glyn Houston is the earnest Scotland Yard flatfoot looking for likely candidates while parents Zena Walker and Dermot Walsh look suitably in need of tranquillisers. Things get quite dramatic before the hour and the budget is up.^[4]

References

^ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 154. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
^ "Emergency". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
^ "Emergency". Monthly Film Bulletin. 29 (336): 80. 1 January 1954.
^ Radio Times Guide to Films (18th ed.). London: Immediate Media Company. 2017. p. 286. ISBN 9780992936440.

External links

Emergency at IMDb

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[Chibnall-1] Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 154. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.

[2] "Emergency". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 25 October 2023.

[3] "Emergency". Monthly Film Bulletin. 29 (336): 80. 1 January 1954.

[4] Radio Times Guide to Films (18th ed.). London: Immediate Media Company. 2017. p. 286. ISBN 9780992936440.

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