Two Crowded Hours

Edward Barber - Tom Murray
Michael Hogan - Scammell
John Longden - Harry Fielding
Jerry Verno - Jim
Jane Welsh - Joyce Danton

Michael Powell's first feature as director, Two Crowded Hours was produced by Jerry Jackson for the Film Engineering Company and distributed by the British arm of Fox Pictures. With accomplished players John Longden (star of Blackmail) and Cockney character actor Jerry Verno, shooting was completed in 12 days in April 1931 in and around London's Soho. 'It was played for laughs and thrills', Powell said, 'and we were paid £1 per foot by Fox. We got £4,000 on delivery so obviously we had to make it for £3,000'. Although a few stills survive, there is no known print of Two Crowded Hours in existence.

The film was a comedy drama about a murderer (Michael Hogan) out to gain revenge on those who gave evidence against him. Fielding rescues his fiancé Jane Walsh from Scarnmell, who is later killed in a car crash. A simple plot similar to Will Hay's last film My Learned Friend.