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The Blue Lamp (1950)

Approved | | Crime , Drama , Thriller | 1 June 1950 (USA)
The Blue Lamp Poster
The daily routine of two London policemen is interrupted by a killer.

Director:

Basil Dearden

Writers:

T.E.B. Clarke (screenplay), Jan Read (original treatment) | 2 more credits »

Stars:

Jack Warner, Dirk Bogarde, Jimmy Hanley | See full cast & crew »
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On Disc

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Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 nomination. See more awards »

Photos

See all 9 photos »
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Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jack Warner ... PC George Dixon
Jimmy Hanley ... PC Andy Mitchell
Dirk Bogarde ... Tom Riley
Robert Flemyng ... Detective Sgt. Roberts
Bernard Lee ... Divisional Detective Inspector Cherry
Peggy Evans Peggy Evans ... Diana Lewis
Patric Doonan Patric Doonan ... Spud
Bruce Seton ... PC 'Jock' Campbell
Meredith Edwards ... PC 'Taff' Hughes
Clive Morton ... Police Sgt. Brooks
Frederick Piper Frederick Piper ... Alf Lewis
Dora Bryan ... Maisie
Gladys Henson Gladys Henson ... Mrs. Em Dixon
Tessie O'Shea Tessie O'Shea ... Herself
See full cast »
Edit

Storyline

We follow the daily activities of two London bobbies, veteran George Dixon and rookie Andy Mitchell. Meanwhile, young hoods Tom and Spud plan a series of robberies with Tom's girl Diana, a discontented beauty, as inside worker. But in their second crime, one of our heroes is shot, setting off a citywide manhunt. The killer is clever, but will he outsmart himself? Written by Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

color in title | spiv | robbery | british noir | strangulation | See All (50) »

Taglines:

Sheds just enough light for MURDER See more »

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Certificate:

Approved | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

Add content advisory for parents »
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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 June 1950 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

A Lâmpada Azul See more »

Filming Locations:

Bishop's Bridge Road W2, Paddington, London, England, UK See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ealing Studios See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono (Gaumont Kalee) (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The Dixons note that Andy (PC 814'D') is 25, the age "Bert" would've been - intimating that they have lost a son, possibly during WWII. See more »

Goofs

As PC Dixon leaves the police station to go on his beat, he picks up his cape and puts it over his shoulder. A short while later he's seen on his beat, but his cape has disappeared. He may, however, have put the cape into the local police call box before starting his beat. See more »

Quotes

Diana Lewis: What d'ye think I am? Soft or something?
Spud: Yeah.
See more »

Crazy Credits

We acknowledge with gratitude the help given by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis Sir Harold Scott K.C.B. K.B.E., and men and women of the Metropolitan Police. To them, and their colleagues in the Police Service of Britain, we dedicate this film. See more »

Connections

Referenced in That's Showbusiness: Episode #6.3 (1994) See more »

Soundtracks

Bless 'em All
(uncredited)
Written by Fred Godfrey (1917)
Revised lyrics by Jimmy Hughes and Frank Lake (1940)
Sung by Cameron Hall at the police station
See more »

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User Reviews

 
Mustn't grumble.
8 February 2014 | by Spikeopath – See all my reviews

The Blue Lamp is directed by Basil Dearden and written by T.E.B. Clarke. It stars Jack Warner, Jimmy Hanley, Dirk Bogarde, Robert Flemyng and Peggy Evans. Music is by Ernest Irving and cinematography by Gordon Dines.

Andy Mitchell is a new recruit to the London police force, old hand George Dixon takes him under his wing and shows him the ropes. When Dixon is gunned down by a hot headed crook, Mitchell, the force, and the close knit community, all rally round to catch the villain.

What chiefly makes The Blue Lamp a fine watch is being able to witness the good old days of the British Bobby. It was a time when the copper was a feared and reassuring presence on the British streets, they walked the beat so everyone could sleep easy in their beds, help was but merely a whistle away.

In that, this Ealing Studios production does a wonderful job, the essence is perfect, the locale and the dialect used is absolutely spot on, whilst the story is an accomplished piece that brings to notice the sad emergence of trigger happy crooks, a new breed of thug who's discipline quota was zero. It also looks nice, with a film noir sheen presented for the night-time sequences, while Dearden offers up a great action scene and closes the picture down with a tense chase finale at White City Greyhound Stadium.

There's inevitably some staid performances indicative of the time, and it definitely paints the police and surrounding community through rose tinted spectacles, but they are small complaints that ultimately can't stop The Blue Lamp from being a most engaging viewing experience. 7.5/10
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