THE EIGHT O’CLOCK WALK

UK, 1952, 87 minutes, Black and white.
Richard Attenborough, Cathy O’ Donnell, Derek Farr, Ian Hunter, Maurice Denham.
Directed by Lance Comfort.

The Eight O’ Clock is a modest British thriller, focusing on a crime, court case, the sentence and execution. It is noteworthy for its crisp black and white location photography, its sense of British atmosphere and a strong performance by Richard Attenborough. Interesting, small, raising many questions,

1. Was this an interesting murder story, trial-drama? How did it retain audience interest? How does this fifties melodrama seem now in comparison with modern TV equivalents?

2, How well did the film use conventional styles and material? Was it special in any way? Using the conventions?

3. Why are court dramas always interesting? The conflict for all? The risk for the person under trial? How important was circumstantial evidence and audience emotional response to this?

4. How real did this story seem? Was it plausible? The realism of the treatment? The murder situation? The evidence given in court? The conduct of the trial?

5. How strong was audience sympathy for Tom Manning? Could audiences easily identity with him in his situation? How?

6. What type of person was Tom? How much courage did it need to face his trial? His conviction of the truth and trust in the lawyers? The importance of the support of his wife? How real did this seem?

7. The complications of having father and son on opposite sides in the trial? The implicit rivalry? The son’s beginning his career? How was this interesting background to add emotional interest to the trial?

8. How successfully did this background material operate for the judge and his concern for his dying wife?

9. Comment on the presentation of the witnesses and what they saw. What was particularly striking in the treatment of the witnesses?

10. How important for a lawyer to discover the truth? How threatening is it that a man’s life can rest on this ingenuity?

11. Was this an ultimately entertaining film? How informative about British justice?