andyc

Hi All,

Been trying to get the name of a film I remember seeing when a kid. It's about a 'mad scientist' type who has a nuke planted in London, set to go off in a number of days, unless his demands are met. Plot revolves around trying to find the bomb and the evacuation of the city. One female character spends the film trying to get transport to Aldershot. Scenes of police and army searching sewers. Pertty certain it was B&W, and had a 50s feel to it, but was probably produced in the 60s. My vague memory of it was of it being quite dark, with lots of claustrophobic war cabinet scenes, but this is probably clouded by time.

On another forum, it was suggested that the title was Seven (or possibly five) Days to Midnight, but I cannot find any reference to this film anywhere. Five Days to Midnight returns only the recent US SciFi Channel miniseries.

Thanks !!

Ascoyne D'Ascoyne

Seven Days to Noon (1950)

andyc

Fantastic !!!

So near, yet so far. This has been bugging me for ages.

Thanks Ascoyne.

dylan

As anyone seen the 1951 "sequel" High Treason? It features Andre Morell as Superintendant Folland again, this time foiling a communist plot to overthrow Britain. It seems to have dissapeared completely and sounds like a fascinating cold war paranoia film and insight into the political thinking of the "socialist" Boulting Bros.

D.

penfold

There's a similar plot to the Nigel Kneale-written TV play 'The Crunch' from 1964......here, the atomic device has been smuggled to a London Embassy in component form under diplomatic baggage...the UK must agree to reparations from some Imperial injustice. Harry Andrews is the PM, Anthony Bushell the Officer Commanding (Wasn't he always?) and highly recommended if you ever get the chance.

Bit of a Bay Window, what??

ChristineCB

Definitely added to my Must Have list. I see Movies Unlimited lists the VHS for sale. I might experiment and see what this vendor's like. The below link has some other interesting titles...

Seven Days To Noon [VHS] video online at Movies Unlimited

Any experience with these people?

andyc

Yes, I remember this as being very tense and quite dark, but I was quite young at the time. I'd love to see it again, but am almost afraid to in case it doesn't live up to the memory, but judging from the reviews here, it might be worth the risk.

Thanks for the link. I'd be interested in recommendations or warnings for Movies Unlimited also.

Mr Cosmo

Andy - by a strange coincidence I ran 7 DAYS TO NOON just the day before you posted and I still think that despite the fact that it is an old film, it still packs a good punch and is worth seeking out.

andyc

That's great, thanks Sam. I've been disappointed by films I remember as exciting from a childhood memory, only to discover they don't stand up now. I'll keep an eye on the schedules for this one.

alan gowdy

Perhaps you were being ironic, Dylan, but I've always thought of the Boultings as pretty right-wing in their attitudes. They certainly seemed to have scant regard for the film technicians' union.

Liz242

Ihope someone can help me with this one...

The film (b&w) is set in 1950ies (could be early 60ies) London. Whole of London has been completely evacuated beacuse a mad scientist is threatening to let off and atomic bomb. His daughter is helping the policy to persuade him not to.

Scenes that are stuck in my brain are:
An unemployed, middleaged actress with a drinking habit and a small dog don't get evacuated with the rest. Shot of her and her dog walking over a bridge
Aerial shots of London
A scene in a big church (St Paul's?) with the scientist

Thanks a lot!!

DB7

Seven Days to Noon (1950)

Aaryk Noctivagus

Excellent, It won an Oscar for James Bernard's score.

Not pretending I knew this... I just took a look at IMDb because I thought it looked an interesting movie and I have the vague recollection of seeing it as a child.

EDIT: Just checked PlaydotCom and though it hasn't yet got a release date on DVD it is listed as 'coming soon'. http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/33222...searchsource=0

Liz242

Brilliant, guys - ta very much!

smudge

I'd look again...

As far as I was aware the Oscar was for his writing with his partner Paul Dehn. If you pop back to James' IMDb page, you'll find it was for just that, and that the film was scored by John Addison.

Not wishing to score points, BTW - I just read your post and thought I'd gone addle-headed, as I recalled the writing credit...

Smudge

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