Not classic John Ford by any stretch of the imagination but I watched for the first time in years on t.v. This afternoon, and it certainly brightened up a wet afternoon. There are some lovely comic moments such as Andrew Rays young rookie policeman booking Jack Hawkins(Gideon)for speeding then in the final scene getting caught him self with Gideon as a passenger, by then he is son in law material. Miles Mallison as an eccentric judge and John Le Mesurier as a prosecuting council have delicious little cameos, so much so that they might have drifted in from another film set. How I cheered when Jack Watling's timid vicar suddenly floors the toughs in his church who are threatening him, it turns out he is an ex wartime para. Michael Trubshawe plays the typical British police sargeant. Jack Hawkins is of course his usual irrascible but dependable self. What a success rate,three murders solved in one day. Always a pleasure to watch Anna Lee as the long suffering wife who in one scene tells her daughter played by Anna Massey never to marry a policeman,too late her eyes are already set on the young officer. Fortunately they showed the ninety minute colour version not the truncated sixty minute black and white version shown in USA but if one is going to be overly critical the editing is somewhat choppy and I wonder if they wrote the script as they were filming. Neverless the film rattles along and is never boring,there's not a weak link in the cast. If John Ford is not exactly at his peak he's by no means off form.9 out of 10 seems a fair assessment.
Review of Gideon of Scotland Yard
