The Blue Lamp (1950)

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)

Stars:

Jack Warner, Dirk Bogarde, Jimmy Hanley

Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 nomination.

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	...	Diana Lewis
Patric Doonan	...	Spud
Bruce Seton	...	PC 'Jock' Campbell
Meredith Edwards	...	PC 'Taff' Hughes
Clive Morton	...	Police Sgt. Brooks
Frederick Piper	...	Alf Lewis
Dora Bryan	...	Maisie
Gladys Henson	...	Mrs. Em Dixon
Tessie O'Shea	...	Herself

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?

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Plot Keywords:

color in title | spiv | robbery | british noir | strangulation | 

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Taglines:

The unending battle of the city streets

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 June 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Lâmpada Azul

Filming Locations:

Bishop's Bridge Road W2, Paddington, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ealing Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Gaumont Kalee) (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally started off as a Gainsborough Film. With the collapse of Gainsborough, the property moved to Ealing Studios.

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Goofs

When car 5-D makes a turn at supposed high speed, just after PC Mitchell says "There they are", a woman and two children on the pavement at the left are also walking slightly faster than usual, demonstrating that the footage has been sped up in post-production.

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Quotes

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

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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.

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Connections

Referenced in The Bill: Death of a Cracksman (1985)

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Soundtracks

Nymphs and Shepherds
(uncredited)
Composed by Henry Purcell
Performed by cast

User Reviews

A London i remember

When the Blue Lamp was released i was around 3 years old.I therefore do remember the London that it shows.To me the film is more interesting in what it reveals about the London of 1950 than the actual story.It shows the Metropolitan Music hall in the Edgware Road.It was in the last few years of its life before the A4 cutting a swathe into London meant that it was demolished for "progress".Music Hall by this time was in its last throes and what was left would be rendered extinct by the arrival of ITV.We see the Colloseium in Harlesden.Every High Street had cinemas like this.If you look carefully you will see that they were showing "Granny Get Your Gun" a 1940 "B" feature with May Robson.So it was probably a second run house.There are the bomb sites.I remember that in certain parts of London,particularly the East End there mere were more such sites than actual buildings.The streets do not have a great deal of traffic as there was little traffic at that time.So a film of some sociological interest