Delayed Action Explained

Delayed Action is a 1954 British film noir mystery film directed by John Harlow and starring Robert Ayres, June Thorburn and Alan Wheatley.^[1] It was produced as a second feature for release by General Film Distributors.^[2] It was shot at Twickenham Studios in London with sets designed by the art director Wilfred Arnold.

Plot

Two criminals do a deal with a suicidal man, who will confess to crimes they have committed before killing himself. However he subsequently has a change of heart.^[3]

Cast

• Robert Ayres as Ned Ellison
• June Thorburn as Anne Curlew
• Alan Wheatley as Mark Cruden
• Bruce Seton as Sellars
• Michael Balfour as Honey
• Michael Kelly as Lobb
• John Horsley as Worsley
• Olive Kirby as Angela Bentley
• Ballard Berkeley as Insp. Crane
• Ian Fleming as Dr. Jepson
• Myrtle Reed as Jackie
• Dennis Chinnery as Bank cashier
• Charles Lamb as Bank clerk
• Arthur Hewlett as Battersby (uncredited)
• Frederick Leister as Sir Francis Henry (uncredited)

Critical reception

• TV Guide wrote, "robbers pay suicidal writer Ayres to confess to their crime and kill himself should their scheme fail. An interesting premise in an otherwise dull movie."^[4]
• Radio Times noted, "the prolific B-team of Monty Berman and Robert S Baker were the brains behind this moody little thriller. There's a hint here of the ingenuity that would lead to their TV success with such series as The Saint and Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)."^[5]

Notes and References

1. Web site: BFI | Film & TV Database | DELAYED ACTION (1954) . https://web.archive.org/web/20090117091829/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/30982 . dead . 2009-01-17 . Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk . 2009-04-16 . 2014-04-11.
2. Chibnall & McFarlane p.87
3. Web site: Delayed Action: Information from . Answers.com . 2014-04-11.
4. Web site: Delayed Action Trailer, Reviews and Schedule for Delayed Action | TVGuide.com . Movies.tvguide.com . 2014-04-11.
5. Web site: Delayed Action | Film review and movie reviews . Radio Times . 2014-04-11.