Boys in Brown
Boys in Brown is a 1949 British drama film directed by Montgomery Tully, which depicts life in a borstal for young offenders. It stars Jack Warner, Richard Attenborough, Dirk Bogarde and Jimmy Hanley.[2] It is based on a 1940 play by the actor Reginald Beckwith.[3][4]
| Boys In Brown | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Montgomery Tully |
| Produced by | Antony Darnborough |
| Written by | Montgomery Tully |
| Based on | play Boys in Brown by Reginald Beckwith |
| Starring | Jack Warner Richard Attenborough Dirk Bogarde |
| Music by | Doreen Carwithen |
| Cinematography | Cyril Bristow Gordon Lang |
| Edited by | James Needs |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | General Film Distributors |
Release date | December 1949 |
Running time | 85 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | £94,000 (by 1953)[1] |
Plot
Teenager Jackie Knowles (Richard Attenborough) drives a getaway car in a robbery. He is captured and sentenced to serve three years in a borstal institution run by a sympathetic governor (Jack Warner). He befriends Alfie (Dirk Bogarde) and Bill (Jimmy Hanley).
Cast
- Jack Warner as Governor
- Richard Attenborough as Jackie Knowles
- Dirk Bogarde as Alfie Rawlins
- Jimmy Hanley as Bill Foster
- Barbara Murray as Kitty Hurst
- Patrick Holt as Tigson
- Andrew Crawford as Casey
- Thora Hird as Mrs. Knowles
- Graham Payn as Plato Cartwright
- Michael Medwin as Alf 'Sparrow' Thompson
- John Blythe as 'Bossy' Phillips
- Alfie Bass as 'Basher' Walker
- Philip Stainton as Principal prison officer
- Ben Williams as Borstal Master
- Cyril Chamberlain as Mr. Johnson
Critical reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote "the film creditably abstains from exploiting its serious subject in a sensational way," and from the "excellent cast" the critic singled out "Richard Attenborough and Thora Hird, a compelling appearance by Jack Warner as the Governor marred only by a tendency to hang out flags when he is about to deliver a Message; and the "boys" (surely a little old for Borstal?) include Jimmy Hanley, Dirk Bogarde and Michael Medwin";[5] while Time Out wrote "The fairly outspoken (for 1949) script criticises a system portrayed as suffering from cash starvation (echoed by the film's own rock-bottom budget) yet required to cope with hordes of incorrigibles: a recidivism rate of 75 per cent is indicated. It's a blend of cosy stereotypes, reforming zeal and post-war disillusion amounting to a gloomy admonition not to expect very much from life. A British noir, in that sense."[3]
References
- Spicer, Andrew (5 September 2006). Sydney Box. Manchester University Press. ISBN 9780719059995 – via Google Books.
- "BFI Screenonline: Boys in Brown (1949)". www.screenonline.org.uk.
- "Boys in Brown". Time Out London.
- Wearing, J. P. (22 August 2014). The London Stage 1940-1949: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780810893061 – via Google Books.
- "Monthly Film Bulletin review". www.screenonline.org.uk.