Interrupted Journey

Valerie Hobson - Carol North
Richard Todd - John North
Christine Norden - Susan Wilding
Tom Walls - Mr. Clayton
Ralph Truman - Inspector Waterson
Vida Hope - Miss Marchment
Alexander Gauge - Jerves Wilding
Dora Bryan - Waitress
Arnold Ridley - Mr. Saunders

Exciting post-war mystery noir written by Michael Pertwee, this creaky tale of the unexpected contains many twists and turns but holds the viewers attention with aplomb until the final twist in the tail. Despite the film’s low budget director Daniel Birt injects some disconcerting visuals into the action and renowned cinematographer Erwin Hillier contributes his customary atmospheric and angular cinematography. The acting is uniformly excellent and benefits from particularly fine performance by Valerie Hobson and Tom Walls.

Two illicit lovers, writer John North (Richard Todd) and his publisher’s wife Susan Wilding (Christine Norden), take flight by train from Paddington station for a forbidden weekend together in Plymouth when North begins getting cold feet. Racked with guilt and worried by the attentions of a man who has been following them since London - .as the train passes his house; North pulls the communication chord and runs home to his loving wife Carol (Valerie Hobson).

As the reunited couple embrace in the doorway to their home there is an almighty crash and North looks across the fields to discover the train he had stopped has been involved in a train crash. Soon railroad inspector Clayton (Tom Walls) discovers that Susan didn't perish in the crash but had been shot in the back in her compartment. Suspected of murder, John goes on the run to clear his name but still a shadowy figure appears to be influencing his destiny.