On the Run (1958 film)

On the Run
On the Run
Directed by	Ernest Morris
Written by	Brian Clemens; Eldon Howard;
Produced by	Edward J. Danziger; Harry Lee Danziger;
Starring	Neil McCallum; Susan Beaumont; William Hartnell;
Cinematography	James Wilson
Edited by	Maurice Rootes
Music by	Albert Elms
Production; company	Danziger Productions Ltd.
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date	1 June 1958 (UK);
Running time	70 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

On the Run is a 1958 second feature^[1] British drama film directed by Ernest Morris and starring Neil McCallum, Susan Beaumont and William Hartnell.^[2] It was written by Brian Clemens and Eldon Howard and produced by The Danzigers.

Plot

Wesley is a young man on the run looking for work, when he meets Tom Casey who offers him lodging and work in his garage. Wesley and Tom's daughter Kitty fall in love. Kitty learns Wesley is a former boxer who won a fight he was supposed to have thrown, and is running away from a gang seeking revenge. The gang catch up with him and they fight in Tom's garage. Kitty and Wesley marry.

Cast

Neil McCallum as Wesley
Susan Beaumont as Kitty Casey
William Hartnell as Tom Casey
Gordon Tanner as Bart Taylor
Philip Saville as Driscoll
Gil Winfield as Joe
Hal Osmond as Sam Bassett

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "A conventional and unpretentious second feature, this is, within its limits, an improvement on most Danziger productions, thanks largely to agreeable performances from the three principles. Philip Saville's soft-spoken thug is effectively spine-chilling and the fights, if somewhat vicious, are realistically staged."^[3]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Predictable thriller with better punch-ups than usual."^[4]

References

^ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 93. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
^ "On the Run". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
^ "On the Run". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 25 (288): 90. 1 January 1958 – via ProQuest.
^ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 357. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.