Aircraft manufacturer Tom Denning (John Mills) is married to Kay (Phyllis Calvert); they have a daughter, Liz (Eileen Moore). Liz is dating Mados (Herbert Lom) who Tom "accidentally" kills by punching him. Instead of calling the police, Tom disposes of the body in a ditch. He tries to disguise the victim by placing a large overly-ornate ring on the victim's finger. Later, torn with his guilt, he goes back to pick up the body only to find that it has disappeared.
The film was based on a novel by Coppel that was published in late 1950.[3][4][5]
The Washington Post thought the Rolls-Royce "made more sense than any of the alleged human characters... a bit pretentious."[6]
Production
Film rights were bought by Alexander Korda's London Films.[7] John Mills' casting was announced in May 1951.[8] It was Mills' first film in almost two years.[9]
Sam Wanamaker had been living in England since 1949 and was offered the part after writing to his agent from holiday in France asking if any jobs were going.[11]
The film performed poorly at the British box office.[1]
Critical reception
The New York Times wrote, "this little melodrama serves as still another reminder, from a country that jolly well knows how to exercise it, that restraint can work minor wonders...Persuasive and tingling, minus one false note... No doubt about it. The British have what it takes."[12]
Variety reviewed it in 1951 calling it "unconvincing and involved" where the direction was "completely inadequate."[13] That magazine reviewed it two years later more favorably calling it "tense and skillfully developed."[14]
References
^ abVincent Porter, 'The Robert Clark Account', Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Vol 20 No 4, 2000 p495
^Schallert, Edwin (25 April 1951). "Drama: Milland, Brian, Carter in 'Bugles;' Nat Holt Buys Oceanic Subject". Los Angeles Times. p. A7.
^"Patricia returns". The Mail. Adelaide. 16 February 1952. p. 6 Supplement: SUNDAY MAGAZINE. Retrieved 20 March 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
