Sapphire (1959)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Basil Dearden

Writers:

Janet Green (writer)
Lukas Heller (additional dialogue)

Release Date:

2 November 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

Sapphire - Please don't tell her secret! (USA)

Plot:

In 1950s London racial hostility to Commonweath immigrants is openly paraded. A pregnant girl, initially assumed to be white...

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Police | Racism | London England | Sergeant

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Nigel Patrick	...	Superintendent Robert Hazard
Michael Craig	...	Inspector Phil Learoyd
Yvonne Mitchell	...	Mildred
Paul Massie	...	David Harris
Bernard Miles	...	Ted Harris
Olga Lindo	...	Mrs. Harris
Earl Cameron	...	Dr. Robbins
Gordon Heath	...	Paul Slade
Jocelyn Britton	...	Patsy
Harry Baird	...	Johnnie Fiddle
Orlando Martins	...	Barman
Rupert Davies	...	Jack Ferris
Yvonne Buckingham	...	Sapphire Robbins
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Adams	...	Horace Big Cigar
Freda Bamford	...	Sgt. Cook
Anthony Singleton

Runtime:

92 min | Spain:89 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Hampstead Heath, Hampstead, London, England, UK

Company:

Artna Films Ltd.

Trivia:

Dirk Bogarde was asked to play Learoyd.

Quotes:

Inspector Phil Learoyd: These spades are a load of trouble. I reckon we should send them back where they came from. We wouldn't have half this bother if they weren't here.
Superintendent Robert Hazard: Well, I suppose you're right. Just the same as we wouldn't have old ladies being clobblered by hooligans if there weren't any old ladies. So what do you do? Get rid of the hooligans or the people they bash?
[a beat]
Superintendent Robert Hazard: Look Phil, given the right atmosphere you can organize riots against anyone - Jews, Catholics, Negroes, Irish - even policemen with big feet.
[...]

serious race issues discussed honestly

I was amazed by the shocking brutality of the racism in this film. In America, we are rarely presented with such casual racism; in films of the 50s, race is practically never dealt with in films, as Todd Haynes "remake" of Douglas Sirk's All That Heaven Allows tries to make up for. And current films about the 50s present such two dimensional characters that it is easy to tell the racist villains from the open-minded heroes. In Sapphire, filmed in Britain in the 1950s, one of the most interesting characters is Michael Craig's detective, supposedly our hero, but constantly making racist remarks. His comments are always countered by the more reasonable older inspector, but this allows his gradual transformation throughout the film. Although some of the film is a bit heavy-handed, ultimately the message is sadly still relevant. 4 out of 5.