23 Paces to Baker Street (1956)

Famed American playwright Phillip Hannon is in London making revisions to his play currently running in the West End. He is doing this mundane work rather than write a new play since he has... See full summary »

Director:

Henry Hathaway

Writers:

Nigel Balchin (screenplay), Philip MacDonald (novel)

Stars:

Van Johnson, Vera Miles, Cecil Parker

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Van Johnson	...	Phillip Hannon
Vera Miles	...	Jean Lennox
Cecil Parker	...	Bob Matthews
Patricia Laffan	...	Miss Alice MacDonald
Maurice Denham	...	Inspector Grovening
Estelle Winwood	...	Barmaid at The Eagle
Liam Redmond	...	Joe
Isobel Elsom	...	Lady Syrett
Martin Benson	...	Pillings
Natalie Norwick	...	Janet Murch
Terence de Marney	...	Det. Sgt. Luce

Storyline

Famed American playwright Phillip Hannon is in London making revisions to his play currently running in the West End. He is doing this mundane work rather than write a new play since he has retreated from life following the recent and permanent loss of his sight. That retreat from life includes breaking off his engagement to his former secretary, Jean Lennox, who still loves him. One evening at his local pub, he overhears a conversation between a man and a woman that he knows involves criminal activity, what he surmises to be the kidnapping plot of a child in exactly one week's time. The local police patronizingly dismiss his report as the overactive imagination of a blind writer. With Jean and his faithful manservant Bob Matthews by his side - the former with some reluctance on Phil's part - Phil goes on a search to uncover the plot using what little pieces of information he has at hand, which includes the man's name being Evans, the woman, who is involved under duress, working as a ...

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Plot Keywords:

police | playwright | kidnapping | pub | bus | 

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Taglines:

The screen's most unusual crime-challenge!

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Genres:

Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 July 1956 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

23 Schritte zum Abgrund

Filming Locations:

Barkers of Kensington, 63 Kensington High Street, Kensington, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (magnetic prints) (Westrex Recording System) Mono (optical prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film maximised 20th Century-Fox's "frozen funds": money earned in England by the studio which, by law, could only be spent there. Hence the extensive location footage is genuinely shot in London, whilst the interiors are all Los Angeles-based.

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Goofs

When leaving Lady Syrett's the first time, Bob puts Phil's scarf on his shoulders, then the camera angle changes and he puts it on him again.

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Connections

References The House on 92nd Street (1945)

User Reviews

Clever Thriller

Now I will go to great trouble to avoid entering a spoiler like an earlier commenter. I give this film such a high rating because of the cleverness of toe concept: a blind man overhearing a conversation which indicates a crime is afoot. A tip of toe hat to the commentator who noticed the similarity between this movie and Argento's Cat O' Nine Tails ... a similarity that immediately crossed my mind the first time I saw the Argento flick. Anyway, 23 Paces to Baker Street could easily be an Argento giallo with the clever plot twists, but it lacks the gore most Argento fans want. I enjoyed 23P in 1956 when it was new and I was my voice had not changed. The plot twists and surprises have remained vividly in my memory for 50 years. Oddly I didn't notice a resemblance to Rear Window but I was very young then. I heartily recommend 23P to Baker Street. It's most suspenseful!