Four in the Morning

Ann Lynn - Girl
Judi Dench - Wife
Norman Rodway - Husband
Brian Phelan - Boy
Joe Melia - Friend

The title ‘Four in the Morning’ relates to the time of a young girl's drowning in the River Thames. Acclaimed in its day as a sharp slice of kitchen sink neorealism, director-writer Anthony Simmons atmospheric drama now appears dated and lifeless. Judi Dench won a Bafta award for her role, while Ann Lynn, Norman Rodway and Brian Phelan have seldom been better and Joe Melia makes an astute contribution. The eerie visuals of the Thames are matched by a suitably haunting score from John Barry.

Following the retrieval of an unidentified drowned female from the Thames the story follow the trials and tribulations of two unnamed couples. Washed-out wife (Judi Dench) is kept awake both by a teething baby whilst her drunken husband ((Norman Rodway) is out clubbing with his friend (Joe Melia). The second vignette follows a young man ((Brian Phelan) picking up his girl friend ((Ann Lynn), a dancer, at the nightclub where she works and taking her to the Thames where they steal a motor boat and spend their time playing cat-and-mouse with each other's emotions.