Wow what a find...
This film blew me away. Ostentatiously about a murder being witnessed by a young girl and the subsequent strange relationship that grows being her and the killer, it covers so much more ground than that... including the multicultural explosion that occurred in Britain during the 50's and a bygone era when kids could play out on the streets till long into the evening because their parents knew they'd be safe. Both still hot topics today.Hayley Mills, before Disney got hold of her and transformed her into the star of homogenised fare such as The Parent Trap, is a true delight. With her hair cut short and no interest in dollies whatsoever, she plays a truly likable character called Gillie who is tougher than any boy around, and providing a great counterpart to Horst Buchholz's guilt-ridden murderer and John Mills's dogged detective (and yes, that IS her father) . He woulda got away with it too, if it weren't for them meddling post-war censors who would insist 'good must always triumph over evil at the end'.
Every scene and passage of dialogue feels like a gem, all performances cannot be faulted in their authenticity... and it has two of the most memorable closing lines I've heard of late. Even the shooting locations set the mood perfectly, and become part of the drama. It is beyond my comprehension why this isn't widely considered to be a classic. Oh well, it'll always have a place on my shelf. 8/10
score 8/10
natashabowiepinky 27 March 2014
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2986603/34959
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