Brighton Rock (1948)

In Brighton in 1935, small-time gang leader Pinkie Brown murders a journalist and later desperately tries to cover his tracks but runs into trouble with the police, a few witnesses and a rival gang.

Director:

John Boulting

Writers:

Graham Greene (from the novel by), Graham Greene (screenplay)

Stars:

Richard Attenborough, Hermione Baddeley, William Hartnell

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Attenborough	...	Pinkie Brown
Hermione Baddeley	...	Ida Arnold
William Hartnell	...	Dallow
Harcourt Williams	...	Prewitt
Wylie Watson	...	Spicer
Nigel Stock	...	Cubitt
Virginia Winter	...	Judy
Reginald Purdell	...	Frank
George Carney	...	Phil Corkery
Charles Goldner	...	Colleoni
Alan Wheatley	...	Fred Hale
Carol Marsh	...	Rose
Lina Barrie	...	Molly
Joan Sterndale-Bennett	...	Delia
Harry Ross	...	Brewer

Storyline

Pinkie Brown is a small-town hoodlum whose gang runs a protection racket based at Brighton race course. When Pinkie murders a journalist called Fred Hale whom he believes is responsible for the death of a fellow gang-member, the police believe it to be suicide. This doesn't convince Ida Arnold, who was with Fred just before he died, and she sets out to find the truth. She comes across naive waitress Rose, who can prove that Fred was murdered. In an attempt to keep Rose quiet Pinkie marries her. But with his gang beginning to doubt his ability, and his rivals taking over his business, Pinkie starts to become more desperate and violent.

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Plot Keywords:

british noir | based on novel | gang | protection racket | police | 

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Taglines:

Raw! Brutal! Razor Gangs in Action!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Brighton Borough Council refused permission for use of the race course because of the damage association with gang crime would do to the town's image (see the on-screen disclaimer at the start of the movie).

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Goofs

When Ida Arnold reads out the details of the autopsy on Fred it is dated June 9th, but the day on which he was killed was June 11th as proven by the date on the newspaper announcing the arrival of Colley Kibber in Brighton.

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Quotes

Mother Superior: [while comforting Rose after Pinkie's death] You or I cannot fathom the appalling strangeness of the mercy of God.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: Brighton today is a large, jolly, friendly seaside town in Sussex, exactly one hour's journey from London. But in the years between the two wars, behind the Regency terraces and crowded beaches, there was another Brighton of dark alleyways and festering slums. From here, the poison of crime and violence and gang warfare began to spread, until the challenge was taken up by the Police. This is a story of that other Brighton - now happily no more.

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Connections

Referenced in My Grandfather The Doctor (2010)

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Soundtracks

Hello Hello!
(uncredited)
Music by John Addison
Lyrics by Gerard Bryant
Sung by Hermione Baddeley and the promenade employees

User Reviews

Classy adaptation of a great novel.

Very strong thriller from the Boulting brothers with a cracking performance from Dickie Attenborough as the starey-eyed Pinkie, and William Hartnell looking young(ish) and spry as his friend, henchman and conscience Dallow. Lacking some of the book's depth and darkness, but staying surprisingly faithful to many important plot points, the pace is electric and the players all excellent. The sticky squalor and roughness of the town and the time are vividly realised, and Pinkie is about as bad as they come. One of the great British thrillers, and for those familiar with the book, check out the sweet, ingenious ending.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 September 1948 (France)

Also Known As:

Brighton Rock

Filming Locations:

Brighton Pavilion, Brighton, East Sussex, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,626, 21 June 2009

Gross USA:

$49,466

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$72,434

Company Credits

Production Co:

Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC), Charter Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1