The Walking Stick (1970)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Eric Till

Writers:

Winston Graham (novel)
George Bluestone (screenplay)

Release Date:

28 August 1970 (Finland)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Some men will ask anything.

Plot:

A young woman's highly ordered and structured life is turned upside-down when she meets a handsome stranger at a party...

Plot Keywords:

Polio | Based On Novel

Cast

David Hemmings	...	Leigh Hartley
Samantha Eggar	...	Deborah Dainton
Emlyn Williams	...	Jack Foil
Phyllis Calvert	...	Erica Dainton
Ferdy Mayne	...	Douglas Dainton
Francesca Annis	...	Arabella Dainton
Bridget Turner	...	Sarah Dainton
Dudley Sutton	...	Ted Sandymount
John Woodvine	...	Bertie Irons
David Savile	...	David Talbot
Derek Cox	...	Guard #1
Harvey Sambrook	...	Guard #2
Gwen Cherrell	...	Mrs. Hartley
Walter Horsbrugh	...	Mr. Maitland (as Walter Horsburgh)
Basil Henson	...	Insp. Malcolm
Anthony Nicholls	...	Lewis Maud
Nan Munro	...	Mrs. Stevenson
Donald Sumpter	...	Max
David Griffin	...	Benjy
Susan Payne	...	Deborah, as a child

Directed by
Eric Till

Writing credits
Winston Graham		(novel "The Walking Stick")
George Bluestone		(screenplay)

Produced by
Denis Holt	....	associate producer
Elliott Kastner	....	executive producer
Alan Ladd Jr.	....	producer

Original Music by
Stanley Myers

Cinematography by
Arthur Ibbetson		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
John Jympson

Casting by
Irene Howard		(uncredited)

Production Design by
John Howell

Art Direction by
John Graysmark

Set Decoration by
Pamela Cornell

Costume Design by
Sue Yelland

Makeup Department
Barbara Ritchie	....	hair stylist
Tony Sforzini	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Ted Lloyd	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Colin M. Brewer	....	assistant director (as Colin Brewer)

Sound Department
Don Sharpe	....	sound editor
J.B. Smith	....	dubbing mixer
Gerry Turner	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Ronnie Taylor	....	camera operator (as Ron Taylor)
H.A.R. Thomson	....	camera operator: second unit
Dennis Fraser	....	grip (uncredited)
Frank Wardale	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mia Fonssagrives	....	costumes: Miss Eggar
Vicki Tiel	....	costumes: Miss Eggar (as Vicky Tiel)

Editorial Department
Alan Strachan	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Stanley Myers	....	conductor

Other crew
Gladys Goldsmith	....	continuity
Al Lettieri	....	dialogue coach (as Alfredo Lettieri)
Marion Rosenberg	....	assistant to producer
Tom Sachs	....	location manager

Production Companies

• Jerry Gershwin-Elliott Kastner
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• Winkast Film Productions

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1970) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1976) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Other Companies

• Lee Lighting  lighting

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-8 | Sweden:11 | USA:GP

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Jerry Gershwin-Elliott Kastner

Trivia:

Last cinema film of Emlyn Williams.

Quotes:

Deborah: Of course you can. What's love!? love is sex, hate, ambitious, selfishness, you name it.

Movie Connections:

References Smultronstället (1957)

Icon turns seedy.

David Hemmings was THE Icon of Swinging 1960's London following his performance in 'Blow Up'. Here he plays Leigh, a slightly sinister seedy artist in 1969/ 70's London, who picks up Deborah (a very beautiful Samantha Eggar) at a fashionable party in Hampstead.

Leigh is a sordid betrayer and crook who may be only using Deborah to gain access to the auction house she works in. When she realises this, Deborah proves to be capable of dealing with the problem and her walking stick, far from eliciting sympathy for her minor disability, proves to be a prop for her strengths.

It is a good example of British Cinema. A strong storyline, originally by author Winston Graham, is moved along by well lit, deep technical images of a London that has in the case of the West India Dock sequences disappeared. And unlike modern films it is not afraid of silence. The music is sparse and appropriate (check out the guitar solo. Isn't it familiar?).

This is a film to buy and watch when the alternative on a wet Bank Holiday is endless 'Carry-On' or Sitcom spin-off films being shown back-to-back on TV.