Boys in Brown (1949)

Director:

Montgomery Tully

Writers:

Reginald Beckwith (play)
Montgomery Tully (writer)

Release Date:

December 1949 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

A slice of life in a British Borstal reform institution for young criminals. |

Plot Keywords:

Based On Play

Cast

Jack Warner	...	Governor
Richard Attenborough	...	Jackie Knowles
Dirk Bogarde	...	Alfie Rawlins
Jimmy Hanley	...	Bill Foster
Barbara Murray	...	Kitty Hurst
Patrick Holt	...	Tigson
Andrew Crawford	...	Casey
Thora Hird	...	Mrs. Knowles
Graham Payn	...	Plato Cartwright
Michael Medwin	...	Alf 'Sparrow' Thompson
John Blythe	...	'Bossy' Phillips
Alfie Bass	...	'Basher' Walker
Stanley Escane	...	Bert
Robert Desmond	...	Spud Parker
Martin Tiffen	...	Dusty
Philip Stainton	...	Principal Prison Officer
Cyril Chamberlain	...	Mr. Johnson
Tony Quinn	...	Mr. Knight
Elspeth March	...	Mrs. Smith
Frederick Leister	...	Judge
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ronald Adam	...	Judge (uncredited)
John Clifford	...	Mr. Smith (uncredited)
Frank Coburn	...	Holdup Man (uncredited)
Clive Dunn	...	Holdup Man (uncredited)
Charles Farrell	...	Mr. Sykes (uncredited)
Philip Hillman	...	Sykes Jr. (uncredited)
Rose Howlett	...	Mrs. Sykes (uncredited)
James Knight	...	Prison Officer (uncredited)
Robert Moore	...	Gym Instructor (uncredited)
Harry Terry	...	Borstal Master (uncredited)
John Warren	...	Signalman (uncredited)
Ben Williams	...	Borstal Master (uncredited)

Directed by
Montgomery Tully

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Reginald Beckwith		play
Montgomery Tully		writer

Produced by
Antony Darnborough	....	producer

Original Music by
Doreen Carwithen

Cinematography by
Cyril Bristow
Gordon Lang

Film Editing by
James Needs

Casting by
Weston Drury Jr.		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Douglas Daniels

Art Direction by
Gilbert Chapman
Roy Oxley		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Yvonne Caffin

Makeup Department
Biddy Chrystal	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
June Robinson	....	assistant hair stylist (uncredited)
Tony Sforzini	....	studio makeup (uncredited)

Production Management
Jack Hicks	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gerry O'Hara	....	assistant director (as Gerald O'Hara)
Peter Manley	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Bert Marotta	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Vernon Dixon	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Bert Gaiters	....	property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Reg Barnes Heath	....	sound recordist (as R. Barnes-Heath)
Gordon K. McCallum	....	sound mixer
Fred Hughesdon	....	sound maintenance (uncredited)
Gus Lloyd	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Robert T. MacPhee	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Dudley Messenger	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
C.C. Stevens	....	sound supervisor (uncredited)
Leonard Trumm	....	dubbing editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Syd Howell	....	back projection (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Charles Staffell	....	process projection
Syd Howell	....	process projection (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ronnie Taylor	....	camera operator (as Ronald Taylor)
Derek V. Browne	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Harry Gillard	....	still photographer (uncredited)
John Morgan	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Richard Robinson	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dorothy Edwards	....	wardrobe mistress (uncredited)
Bob Rayner	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)

Music Department
Marcus Dods	....	musical director

Other crew
Arthur Alcott	....	production controller
John Defries	....	production planner
Kenneth K. Rick	....	location manager (as Ken Rick)
Pamela Carlton	....	continuity (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Gainsborough Pictures

Distributors

• General Film Distributors (GFD) (1949) (UK) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1956) (USA) (TV)
• Nothing's New Video (2005) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Gainsborough Pictures

Trivia:

Made using Rank's "Independent Frame" production system (even though it was made by Gainsborough). The system proved a costly flop.

Movie Connections:

Version of Boys in Brown (1947) (TV)

Kind men and misguided boys - working together for a better society

Of more interest than the average vapid 1940s British drama because it features so many prominent actors of the future, particularly Richard Attenborough. It is occasionally interesting, although unsubtle and fairly unsatisfying. Attenborough's early performing skills showed promise, although he also showed a tendency to overact. The script is dry, lame and unintelligent in most parts, and the direction isn't brilliant either. The characters are simplistic and don't get a chance to develop, while the plotlines have good intentions but are often ham-fisted - for example Bill is released from the borstal and gets work, but others are watchful and paranoid towards him because of his background; he therefore ends back inside, loses all hope and becomes involved in a break-out. It's hardly original or inspiring writing, is it?

Boys in Brown overall has the appearance of a cheap, production-line drama that was quickly made and probably more quickly forgotten. As a story it is sadly lacking. At times it seems as though this film was created merely as some kind of crude justification for borstals (reform schools-cum-prisons for teenage boys with criminal proclivities), to persuade a sceptical public that they were serving a useful function. I doubt any borstal would have been much like this one, however - the governor particularly is a progressive and benevolent liberal, while the boys themselves are victims of circumstance rather than aggressive social miscreants. When they plan a mass break-out from the borstal during a dramatic performance, a warder is assaulted and critically injured - however while the boys are overwhelmed with guilt and regret, the governor himself doesn't get overly concerned. Call me cynical but I doubt any borstal or its inmates would've been this warm and fuzzy.