Moment of Indiscretion
| Moment of Indiscretion | |
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 British quad poster | |
| Directed by | Max Varnel |
| Written by |
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| Produced by | |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography |
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| Music by |
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Production company | |
| Distributed by | United Artists Corporation (UK) |
Release date |
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Running time | 71 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Moment of Indiscretion is a low budget 1958 British second feature ('B')[1] crime film directed by Max Varnel and starring Ronald Howard and Lana Morris.[2] It was written by Brian Clemens and Eldon Howard and produced by The Danzigers.
Plot
[edit]Janet Miller is accused of the murder of a woman. Janet's handkerchief and spare house key have been discovered at the crime scene, and she is cagey about her whereabouts on the night in question. It turns out she was a witness to the murder, but has her own reasons for keeping quiet. Her lawyer husband John leaps to her defence and attempts to track down the real killer.
Cast
[edit]- Ronald Howard as John Miller
- Lana Morris as Janet Miller
- John Stone as Eric Stanton
- Denis Shaw as Inspector Marsh
- Piers Keelan as Detective Sargeant Field
- John Witty as Brian
- John Van Eyssen as Corby
- Ann Lynn as Pauline
- Totti Truman Taylor as Mrs. Cartier
- Robert Dorning as Mr. Evans
- Judy Bruce as Vicki
Production
[edit]Two discrepancies occur in the film. First, Janet Miller positively identifies the murderer and tells the police she'll never forget his face; yet, when witnessing the murder, she only ever sees his back – just as her character is depicted in the theatrical release poster. Second, the film was made and set in 1958[citation needed]; yet the pawnshop ticket, which provides the final evidence of an event which was supposed to have occurred just a few months before is dated "February 1956".
Critical reception
[edit]The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "This low-budget thriller lacks all conviction and vitality, and the valiant acting of the cast is unable to overcome the handicap of a feeble script. Direction makes no attempt to compensate for the deficiencies of the material, but is otherwise adequate to the demands of unambitious second feature production."[3]
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "poor", writing: "Inept thriller, passably acted but weakly written."[4]
References
[edit]- ^ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 93. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
- ^ "Moment of Indiscretion". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ "Moment of Indiscretion". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 25 (288): 143. 1 January 1958 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 347. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.