TIME WITHOUT PITY

UK, 1957, 88 minutes, Black and white.
Michael Redgrave, Alec Mc Cowen, Leo Mc Kern, Renee Houston, Ann Todd, Peter Cushing, Paul Daneman, Lois Maxwell, George Devine, Richard Wordsworth, Joan Plowright.
Directed by Joseph Losey.

Time Without Pity was Joseph Losey's first English film that bore his own name after his being blacklisted in America (after The Boy With Green Hair, M, The Big Night, The Prowler) and anonymous working in England e.g. The Sleeping Tiger. Losey is noted for his vigorous, operatic and melodramatic approach. It is evident in this melodrama, scripted by his frequent associate Ben Barzman.

The credits of the film are very good including Frederick Francis as photographer. The cast is very strong ? even though Leo McKern? is made to act in an almost hysterical manner. Michael Redgrave gives a very good performance as the alcoholic father. The film almost goes over the top at times - but is an interesting example of vigorous and frantic style by an American stylist working in England. Losey was to reach a peak in his work in England during the '60s. He moved to France in the late '70s and '80s.

1. The impact of this kind of frantic melodrama? Satisfying entertainment? Character study? Portrait of desperation and hysteria? Moral tract on capital punishment?

2. The work of Joseph Losey and his career? Work in America, anonymous work in Britain? His baroque style? His interest in
melodramatic incidents and situations? Pace, style? The editing for heightened effect? The style of black and white photography, especially use of light and shadow? The score and its insistence for a feeling response?

3. The quality of the drama? The insertion of long speeches? The special pleading about capital punishment? Moralising within melodrama? How persuasive?

4. The style of the screenplay: the title and its tone, the emphasis on time, the 24 hours? The reference to clocks and watches etc.? The prologue and the eeriness of the murder? Information immediately given about the murderer? The arrival of the plane and audiences accepting Michael Redgrave and his dignity? The change of attitude as the audience began to understand him and his weakness? His sense of urgency? The importance of encountering people and their reactions, his growing desperation and confrontation? The growing urgency and hysteria?

5. The situation: the frequency of themes of unjustly accused men in prison? The time count for capital punishment? The ironies of the young man's imprisonment? The circumstances, the truths and half-truths? The credibility of his situation? Realism and authenticity?

6. David Graham and his arrival, his seeming to be a businessman, the truth, the sanatorium, his weakness? Alec's reaction to him and explanation of the past? Using people? His visit to the prison? Information from the lawyer and trying to understand what to do? The visit to Soho and the interrogation of Agnes? and the urgency of his return later? The visit to Stanford? The encounter with Brian Stanford and Honor? Audiences tense with his meeting with Robert, knowing that Robert was the murderer? Brian's story about the tutor? The visit to the flat? The phone call to Canada? The continued heightening? The visit to Mrs. Harker and the encounter with Vicki Harker? Mrs. Harker and the drinking? Honor and the visit to the jail? Trying to assess his son's relationship with Honor? The gradual reconciliation? The visit to the Home Secretary? His test for drinking and his failing? The confrontation with Stanford? His decision to make Stanford pay - and giving his life? Michael Redgrave's skill in drawing a character? Communicating his values? Giving his life for his son and making something of his life?

7. Alec and his being in prison, audience response to him, his reaction to his father? His relationship with his friends? With Jenny? and her murder? Information from Agnes? His relationship with Honor, with Brian? Caught in circumstances? His desperation in prison? The encounter with Honor in prison? His being saved?

8. Brian and his friendship, help, the encounter with David Graham and the story of the tutor, the phone call? His place in the Stanford family - especially his adoption? Response to his father and his demands? To Honor?

9. Honor and her help, attractive, the clashes with Robert, the visit to the prison, the truth?

10. Leo McKern's presence as Stanford - audience knowledge that he was the killer? Shouting? His shaving and stopping, the rage? His commanding attitude? His wealth, business, the testing of the car? His drinking? Confrontation with Honor? Clash with Brian? Vicky and her not telling the truth? The visit to the Home Secretary? His finally being trapped? The ugliness of the confrontation? His being defeated by Graham?

11. Vicky and her lies, her smooth performance, relationship with Stanford? Her drinking mother and the clocks?

12. Agnes and her place in the show, the background, her attitude towards her sister, unwillingness to help Graham? The final confrontation?

13. The lawyer and his help, the objectivity of the facts, the visit to the Home Secretary and the pleading? The prison sequences?

14. The world of English business, wealth, fast cars?

15. The interlude with the editor and his cantankerous attitude, his speech about the issues?

16. Themes of capital punishment? Pros and cons? PR for the anti-punishment case?