Black Memory (1947)

Highly Overrated But Still Good

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Danny Cruff is taken to an approved school after his father is hanged for murder. He escapes from the school and years later goes back to the street where he lived still haunted by the 'black memory' of what happened to his father. It's not a bad film at all. There is a dark undertow to the film that can easily be missed but it is there in John Gilling's well written dialogue. Some of the cinematography has a good noir feel. It would have been better if Danny Cruff had been played by a stronger actor as Michael Atkinson is rather bland. Good performances are given though by top billed Michael Medwin as gangster Johnnie Fletcher, Sidney James in his debut film as the put upon cafe owner Eddie and Jane Arden as the gangster's girlfriend who is manipulated. A movie that deserves a better rating.

Michael Medwin, later to feature in Shoestring some thirty years later, plays a young thug, rather in the mould of Pinkie from Brighton Rock. He has the meatiest role in this efficient, if not particularly tense, thriller. Jane Arden, soaked in sass, plays his moll, and brings off a spirited performance. There is even a slight suggestion that the pair spent the night together, rather risqué for its time.Sid James features in his first film looking, as ever, craggy and plays the part of a cowardly cafe owner. Micheal Atkinson plays Danny, a rather colourless youth, who we are meant to cheer on but never was justice in its human form so dull though by the end of the film he has found a suitable personality.All in all it passes the time in a not unpleasant way.

This film does have some historical significance in that it was the first screen appearance in the UK of Sid James.He looks quite young here with all of his hair and not a wrinkle in sight.This film was made at the small film studios in Bushey,which when they closed in 1983 were the oldest operating film studios in the world.There are a number of problems in watching this film.Firstly the picture is quite dark at times,secondly you only learn what is happening after the event and thirdly the sound reverberates.Anyway as best as I could follow it,Michael Atkinson's father was wrongly convicted for murder and executed.Atkinson is sent to a boarding school but is bullied so badly that he runs away.The film then fast forwards 10 years.Atkinson works in a clothing factory along side Michael Medwin who was one of the bullies.Medwin tries to rob the factory.In the course of the robbery he is half strangled into a confession that he was responsible for the wrong conviction.The police happen to be on the scene to hear the confession.It is a real struggle to work out what is happening.It is only of interest to viewers of noir and Sid James completists.

I saw it only a few minutes ago and almost forgot it...I ain't joking. A film from UK, written by John Gilling, I remember this, OK, but that's all. What the hell is going with me?A British movie from the late forties as I usually avoid at all costs. But I tried with this one, just too see. I remember this too, I am so glad. That means that I will not become like Rita Hayworth in a close future...Alzheimer disease. See what I mean?..But I don't remember the story of this movie. Oh yes, it was talkative, boring, boring...And so naive...Sorry folks, that's all I can remember. But maybe it is a fantastic movie...Who knows...Well, enough joke. A forgettable feature, so common, nothing special. Only for rare stuff seekers only. Fanatic ones like me.