Delayed Action
Directed by	John Harlow
Written by	Geoffrey Orme
Produced by	Robert S. Baker Monty Berman
Starring	Robert Ayres June Thorburn Alan Wheatley Bruce Seton
Cinematography	Gerald Gibbs
Edited by	Bill Lewthwaite
Music by	John Lanchbery
Production company	Kenilworth Film Productions
Distributed by	General Film Distributors
Release date	6 September 1954
Running time	58 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Delayed Action is a 1954 British film noir mystery film directed by John Harlow and starring Robert Ayres, June Thorburn and Alan Wheatley.^[1] It was produced as a second feature for release by General Film Distributors.^[2] It was shot at Twickenham Studios in London with sets designed by the art director Wilfred Arnold.

Plot

Two criminals do a deal with a suicidal man, who will confess to crimes they have committed before killing himself. However he subsequently has a change of heart.^[3]

Cast

• Robert Ayres as Ned Ellison
• June Thorburn as Anne Curlew
• Alan Wheatley as Mark Cruden
• Bruce Seton as Sellars
• Michael Balfour as Honey
• Michael Kelly as Lobb
• John Horsley as Worsley
• Olive Kirby as Angela Bentley
• Ballard Berkeley as Insp. Crane
• Ian Fleming as Dr. Jepson
• Myrtle Reed as Jackie
• Dennis Chinnery as Bank cashier
• Charles Lamb as Bank clerk
• Arthur Hewlett as Battersby (uncredited)
• Frederick Leister as Sir Francis Henry (uncredited)

Critical reception

• TV Guide wrote, "robbers pay suicidal writer Ayres to confess to their crime and kill himself should their scheme fail. An interesting premise in an otherwise dull movie."^[4]
• Radio Times noted, "the prolific B-team of Monty Berman and Robert S Baker were the brains behind this moody little thriller. There's a hint here of the ingenuity that would lead to their TV success with such series as The Saint and Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)."^[5]