Two Scotland Yard detectives investigate the murder of a young woman of mixed race who had been passing for white. As they interview a spate of suspects -- including the girl's white boyfriend and his disapproving parents -- the detectives wade through a stubbornly entrenched sludge of racism and bigotry.
Acting
Yvonne Mitchell's mother-in-law-from-hell simmers with coded hatred.
Direction
Dearden shoots jazz clubs and drawing rooms with equal suspicion.
Writing
Dialogue that says 'decent people' while meaning something uglier.
Director
Basil Dearden
Nigel Patrick
Superintendent Robert Hazard
Michael Craig
Inspector Phil Learoyd
Yvonne Mitchell
Mildred
Paul Massie
David Harris
Bernard Miles
Ted Harris
Olga Lindo
Mrs. Harris
Earl Cameron
Dr. Robbins
Gordon Heath
Paul Slade
Barbara Steele
Student
Peter Vaughan
Detective Whitehead (uncredited)
Yvonne Buckingham
Sapphire Robbins
Desmond Llewelyn
Police Constable
Fenella Fielding
Lingerie Shop Manageress
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Groundbreaking for 1959 Britain—made the same year as the Notting Hill race riots, it was one of the first UK films to explicitly name racism rather than code it.
Lead actor Nigel Patrick was so disturbed by the script's honesty that he initially turned down the role; the BFI later restored it from deteriorating negatives in 2018.
GB
