Pink String and Sealing Wax (1945)

A drunken, abusive tavern-keeper's adulterous wife uses the backward son of a rigid, puritanical pharmacist who makes his entire family miserable.

Director:

Robert Hamer

Writers:

Roland Pertwee (play), Diana Morgan (screenplay)

Stars:

Mervyn Johns, Mary Merrall, Gordon Jackson

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mervyn Johns	...	Mr. Edward Sutton
Mary Merrall	...	Mrs. Ellen Sutton
Gordon Jackson	...	David Sutton
Jean Ireland	...	Victoria Sutton
Sally Ann Howes	...	Peggy Sutton
Colin Simpson	...	James Sutton
David Wallbridge	...	Nicholas Sutton
Googie Withers	...	Pearl Bond
John Carol	...	Dan Powell
Catherine Lacey	...	Miss Porter
Garry Marsh	...	Joe Bond
Pauline Letts	...	Louise
Maudie Edwards	...	Mrs. Webster
Frederick Piper	...	Dr. Pepper
John Owers	...	Frank

Storyline

In Victorian Brighton a scheming pub landlady befriends an innocent chemist's assistant in order to get hold of poison to do away with her boozy husband.

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Plot Keywords:

poison | brighton | strychnine | walking into the ocean | callousness | 

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Taglines:

The story of A BAD WOMAN...Who loved shamelessly...Who murdered ruthlessly...

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 October 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

Achtung Gift!

Filming Locations:

Ealing Studios, Ealing, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ealing Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film is set in the English seaside town of Brighton in the 1880s.

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Goofs

[All goofs for this title are spoilers.]

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Connections

Version of Pink String and Sealing Wax (1949)

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Soundtracks

Virtue's Treasure
(uncredited)
from "The Beggar's Opera"
Written by John Gay
Music by Frederic Austin after the version by John Pepusch

User Reviews

Stop singing, Victoria!

Pearl (Googie Withers) is unhappily married. She is having an affair with the unscrupulous Dan (John Carol) and befriends David Sutton (Gordon Jackson) who works at his father Edward's (Mervyn Johns) chemist shop. A chemist shop gives you access to poisons........so guess what Pearl has in mind for husband Joe (Garry Marsh)? Can she get away with her plan...?

Mervyn Johns, John Carol and Googie Withers put in the best performances. In fact, the whole cast are good, apart from Sally Ann Howes who plays "Peggy" and, despite a couple of funny moments, is as wooden as ever. Even the comedy character of "Miss Porter" played by Catherine Lacey is on the right side of irritating.

Unfortunately, the story only develops when Pearl is on screen. There are 2 definite parts to the story and the better episodes take place at the pub. What a shame that large sections of the film are devoted to family life at the Sutton household. We really don't need the storyline concerning the 2 daughters, Victoria (Jean Ireland) and Peggy. Mervyn Johns is a good enough actor to portray tyrannical power without back-up from these women. Victoria wants to pursue a singing career against her father's wishes. After being subjected to her shrill voice on more than one occasion, the audience can only take his side in this matter. There is one very cringeworthy scene where we are subjected to her singing the whole of "There's no place like home" to a professional singer and it's just terrible. She sings on several more occasions in which she just becomes excruciatingly annoying. We even have to home in on her voice during a church scene where the congregation are singing a hymn......Stop it!......She sounds crap!

I was slightly let down by the ending to this film - it seemed a cop-out. I wanted to see a trial and maybe a final twist - I think the best option for Pearl would have been to leave town sharpish! Despite the tedious sections of atrocious singing in this film, it is a film that is worth keeping to watch again.