The Tall Headlines

The Tall Headlines (U.S. title: The Frightened Bride^[2]) is a 1952 British drama film directed by Terence Young and starring André Morell, Flora Robson, Michael Denison, Peter Burton, Sid James and Dennis Price.^[3][4] It was written by Audrey Erskine Lindop and Dudley Leslie, based on the 1950 novel by the same name by Lindop.

The Tall Headlines
Original British trade ad
Directed by	Terence Young
Screenplay by	Audrey Erskine Lindop Dudley Leslie
Based on	The Tall Headlines by Audrey Erskine Lindop[1]
Produced by	Raymond Stross
Starring	Mai Zetterling André Morell Flora Robson Peter Burton Sid James
Cinematography	C.M. Pennington-Richards
Edited by	Vera Campbell
Music by	Hans May
Production company	Raymond Stross Productions
Distributed by	Grand National Pictures
Release date	15 April 1952 (1952-04-15) (London)
Running time	100 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Plot

A middle-class family suffer agonies when their eldest son is hanged for murder.

Cast

• Mai Zetterling as Doris Richardson
• Michael Denison as Phillip Rackham
• Flora Robson as Mary Rackham
• Dennis Price as Maurice Fletcher
• André Morell as George Rackham
• Jane Hylton as Frankie Rackham
• Naunton Wayne as Police Inspector
• Mervyn Johns as Uncle Ted
• Celia Lipton as Sandra
• Hugh Dempster as Police Inspector
• Michael Ward as dentist
• Olive Sloane as Mrs Baker
• Barbara Blair as Nancy Rickardson
• Peter Burton as Graham Moore
• Joan Hickson as waitress
• Sid James as Mr Spencer

Production

It was shot at Walton Studios outside London.

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "From the manner of its casting and presentation, it is difficult to be sure of the precise social territory in which this film is supposed to be set. Occasional hints of Cockney trouble the otherwise impeccable West End accents of Flora Robson and Andre Morell; Michael Denison is unflinchingly O.U.D.S. in manner and inflection; Jane Hylton, on the other hand, is unmistakably not. An odd household: and indeed a somewhat oppressive one. ... While evidencing no awareness of the unreality of the whole affair, Terence Young's direction puts it on the screen with a slickness that may perhaps be considered a tiny mercy."^[5]

Kine Weekly wrote: "Despite its gloomy fundamentals and uneven outline, the film has plenty of versatile surface action."^[6]

Leslie Halliwell wrote "Glum, boring, badly cast, badly written and generally inept melodrama."^[7]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "mediocre", writing: "A 'picture of misery', not helped by the assortment of accents within its 'suburban' family."^[8]

TV Guide wrote, "Decent performances by some well-known British actors and actresses are wasted on this unbelievable story."^[9]

Allmovie called it a "grim British drama," writing: "an excellent all-character-actor cast includes Flora Robson and Andre Morrell as the grieving parents, Michael Denison as the brother and Mai Zetterling as the initial murder victim."^[2]