CONFESSION/THE DEADLIEST SIN

UK, 1955, 74 minutes, Black-and-white.
Sydney Chaplin, Audrey Dalton, Jefferson Clifford, John Bentley, Peter Hammond, Betty Woolfe, John Welsh, Richard Huggett, Patrick Allen, Dorinda Stevens.
Directed by Ken Hughes.

The confession of the title is actually the making of a confession in a confessional to a priest – with the consequent effects of the “seal of confession�.

A criminal returns from the United States to his hometown bringing money from a robbery, but pursued by a fellow criminal. While he is welcomed by his sister, he is not so much welcomed by his father. Complications arise when he is challenged by the pursuer, takes a gun, is joined by his sister’s boyfriend in the streets who defends the criminal by shooting his pursuer.

The film opens with his going to confession and then cuts to the action, later resuming the confession where he is shot by the criminal fearing that is reveal the truth to the priest. The priest is then at risk himself. The dead man was a Catholic, Catholics not being so prominent in the UK of the time, and the criminal not knowing about the seal of confession.

The police investigate, exonerate the friend, discover more about the criminal, and a police inspector who has informed the sister, who initially does not believe him but searches her brother’s room, urges her to join in the set up making the priest target for the criminal.

The priest is given dialogue to explain the nature of the seal of confession. The attack is at night, at the end of Benediction, the killer going into the belltower, some shootout, but the ringing of the bells which deafens him and he falls to his death.

Of interest, the killer is played by Sydney Chaplin, son of Charlie Chaplin. Audrey Dalton is the sister.

1. A small British thriller of the 1950s? Gangsters, robberies, murder?

2. The title? Catholic confession? The priest? Confessing, the seal of confession? Confessional secrecy?

3. The town, provincial, homes, streets, the restaurants? Police offices? The church, the body of the church, the altar, the belltower? The musical score?

4. Michael, his past, leaving the town, the reaction of his father, the rest of the family, his sister, friends? The return, hiding his life, the pursuit by the criminal, the challenge, the appointment, meeting, Alan present, the shooting? Keeping the shooting quiet?

5. Alan, the opening of the film, going to confession? Audience expectations about confession? The choice of the Catholic Church, England not being such a Catholic country? Audiences not necessarily knowing about the seal of confession at this time? The action of the film presuming with the confession, Alan saying Michael’s name? The response of the priest, the death?

6. The screenplay explaining the seal of confession, the law, the church, secrecy? The the priest and his vocation? His willingness to collaborate with the priest? The priest’s assistant? Setting up the situation in the church, the timing? The priest and he is being willing to take the risk for his life?

7. Michael, his lies? Blaming Alan? At home, hiding the money? His father hearing him on the phone, denouncing him? His sister, the dinner with the police officer, not believing him, searching his room, finding the money? The truth?

8. The investigating police, the interrogations? The officer and the meal, the sister upset, his return, the pressure on her to go to the police station, the phone call as if she was with her aunt, deceiving her brother?

9. The church, benediction, Michael, his fear of the priest talking, going to the loft, the shootings, the confrontation, the police, the gongs and the bell, falling to his death?

10. The future, living with the reputation of their son and brother? The policeman and the sister?