Tom Brown's Schooldays (1951)

Director:

Gordon Parry

Writers:

Thomas Hughes (novel)
Noel Langley (screenplay)

Release Date:

2 November 1951 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

A Thrilling New Motion Picture!

Plot:

A young boy starts at Rugby boarding school. He is tormented by Flashman, the school bully.

Plot Keywords:

School | Rugby | Bravery | Hazing | Headmaster

Cast

John Howard Davies	...	Tom Brown
Robert Newton	...	Dr. Thomas Arnold
John Charlesworth	...	East
James Hayter	...	Old Thomas
John Forrest	...	Flashman
Michael Hordern	...	Wilkes
Max Bygraves	...	Coach Guard
Francis De Wolff	...	Squire Brown
Diana Wynyard	...	Mrs. Thomas Arnold
Hermione Baddeley	...	Sally Harrowell
Kathleen Byron	...	Mrs. Brown
Amy Veness	...	Mrs. Wixie
Brian Worth	...	Judd
Rachel Gurney	...	Mrs. Arthur
Michael Brennan	...	Black Bart
Neil North	...	Diggs
Michael Ward	...	Master
Glyn Dearman	...	Arthur
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ben Aris	...	Tadpole (uncredited)
John Campbell	...	Student (uncredited)
Roland Dallas	...	Student (uncredited)
Tony Doonan	...	Student (uncredited)
Robin Dowell	...	Student (uncredited)
Geoffrey Goodheart	...	(uncredited)
David Jenks	...	Student (uncredited)
Nina Parry	...	Dr. Arnold's Daughter (uncredited)
Peter Scott	...	Gower (uncredited)
Derek Stephens	...	Student (uncredited)
Gabriel Woolf	...	Student (uncredited)

Directed by
Gordon Parry

Writing credits
Thomas Hughes		(novel)
Noel Langley		(screenplay)

Produced by
Brian Desmond Hurst	....	producer
Bob McNaught	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Richard Addinsell

Cinematography by
C.M. Pennington-Richards

Film Editing by
Kenneth Heeley-Ray

Art Direction by
Frederick Pusey

Costume Design by
Beatrice Dawson

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Denis O'Dell	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
W.H. Lindop	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Ray Sturgess	....	camera operator (as Raymond Sturgess)

Editorial Department
Michael Johns	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	conductor

Other crew
George Minter	....	presenter

Production Companies

• Talisman Productions

Distributors

• Renown Pictures Corporation (1951) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1952) (USA) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The  orchestra

Also Known As:

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:15 | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #14842) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Talisman Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: At the very end when Tow Brown is chasing behind the camera car, 3 sets of tyre marks can clearly be seen in the grass.

Quotes:

Flashman:[To Ned] You lying blackguard!
Dr. Arnold:Silent.
Flashman:[flustered] ...but...this man has a private grudge against me sir..!
Dr. Arnold:Silent, I say!

Movie Connections:

Version of Tom Brown's Schooldays (1916)

A right film.

The film appears to show people who felt they knew what right was and who acted in harmony with that inner conviction , right as the bible describes it to be for the school headmaster reads the parable of seed from the bible and otherwise quotes from it, and appears to be a living example of its precepts in his comportment. His reasonableness is most winsome especially in the scene where he rebukes the younger teacher for lack of respect toward the older teachers, notwithstanding the fact that he agrees with the younger teachers argument, he nonetheless criticises the way he presented it. The compelling invisible force that made people believe that they knew the right they felt was....was ..right and the subsequent belief that good would eventually triumph over bad, evil, naughtiness call it what you like, is undeniable in this film, and if Flashman is symbolic of the axis of evil, then maybe expulsion of them is mankinds only hope. Who will do the expelling? Who decides what is right? Evil? I love films that get you thinking!