Now Barabbas Was a Robber... (Original title)Now Barabbas (Alternative title)
Date: 27 July 1949 (Release)Country: United KingdomDirector: Gordon Parry
Synopsis: Drama about the varied lives and backgrounds of the inmates of a prison, that reveals the story of how they found themselves in jail.Shotlist: The varied lives and backgrounds of men in jail and their adjustment to prison life. Four new arrivals include Tufnell, condemned to hanging for murdering a man who insulted his reformed prostitute sweetheart; Roberts, a bank clerk caught embezzling money in order to impress his fiancée who leaves him and marries his friend; Spencer, a shoplifter, who claims to be an RAF pilot; and Richards, a sensitive ballet dancer, who has committed a violent, jealous attack. The established inmates of the block include Paddy, an Irish saboteur; Brown, a bigamist; Anderson, a black sailor caught smuggling; Medworth, a doctor convicted of medical negligence (possibly an abortion); and Smith, a fraudster. As the days go on the men experience the tensions and strains of prison life overseen by the two main prison warders, Jackson and King. The routine is interspersed with appointments with the Governor, prison visits and, in Tufnell's case, visits from his sweetheart and the padre. Tufnell's reprieve fails to come through and the death sentence is carried out amidst nervous tension which finally breaks out into a noisy demonstration by the prisoners. The routine continues. Brown and Medworth are released having served their sentences and the rest continue their routine.
Genre: Drama
Subjects: Prisons, Great Britain, Bigamy, Fraud, Shoplifting, Terrorism, Irish people, Black people, Hanging, Smuggling, Abortion, Homosexuality, Medical negligence, Gay people
Releases
Date: 27 June 1949Country: United KingdomRelease type: unknownFormat: 35mm Film - Black and White - SoundRuntime: 87 mins Length: 7869 FeetDialogue (original): English
Date: 2016Country: United KingdomRelease type: InternetFormat: not specified - Black and White - SoundRuntime: 87 mins Dialogue (original): EnglishDistributor: BFIPlayer
Title: Production CreditsArticle type: CreditsLanguage: English
In: Film Industry v6 n42 24 Feb 1949 Page: 8
Title: [Film Industry - v6 n42 24 Feb 1949: no known title]Article type: NoteLanguage: English
Description: Note of end of 28-day shooting schedule.
In: Film Industry v6 n41 10 Feb 1949 Page: 13
Title: [Film Industry - v6 n41 10 Feb 1949: no known title]Article type: Prod. ReportLanguage: English
In: Film Industry v6 n40 27 Jan 1949 Page: 13,16
Title: [Film Industry - v6 n40 27 Jan 1949: no known title]Article type: ArticleLanguage: English
In: Today's Cinema v72 n5806 24 May 1949 Page: 6
Title: [Today's Cinema - v72 n5806 24 May 1949: no known title]Language: English
In: Page: 98
Title: [ - : no known title]
Date: 27 July 1949 (Release)Country: United KingdomDirector: Gordon Parry
Synopsis: Drama about the varied lives and backgrounds of the inmates of a prison, that reveals the story of how they found themselves in jail.Shotlist: The varied lives and backgrounds of men in jail and their adjustment to prison life. Four new arrivals include Tufnell, condemned to hanging for murdering a man who insulted his reformed prostitute sweetheart; Roberts, a bank clerk caught embezzling money in order to impress his fiancée who leaves him and marries his friend; Spencer, a shoplifter, who claims to be an RAF pilot; and Richards, a sensitive ballet dancer, who has committed a violent, jealous attack. The established inmates of the block include Paddy, an Irish saboteur; Brown, a bigamist; Anderson, a black sailor caught smuggling; Medworth, a doctor convicted of medical negligence (possibly an abortion); and Smith, a fraudster. As the days go on the men experience the tensions and strains of prison life overseen by the two main prison warders, Jackson and King. The routine is interspersed with appointments with the Governor, prison visits and, in Tufnell's case, visits from his sweetheart and the padre. Tufnell's reprieve fails to come through and the death sentence is carried out amidst nervous tension which finally breaks out into a noisy demonstration by the prisoners. The routine continues. Brown and Medworth are released having served their sentences and the rest continue their routine.
Genre: Drama
Subjects: Prisons, Great Britain, Bigamy, Fraud, Shoplifting, Terrorism, Irish people, Black people, Hanging, Smuggling, Abortion, Homosexuality, Medical negligence, Gay people
Releases
Date: 27 June 1949Country: United KingdomRelease type: unknownFormat: 35mm Film - Black and White - SoundRuntime: 87 mins Length: 7869 FeetDialogue (original): English
Date: 2016Country: United KingdomRelease type: InternetFormat: not specified - Black and White - SoundRuntime: 87 mins Dialogue (original): EnglishDistributor: BFIPlayer
Articles held in BFI Reuben Library
(6)
In: Film Industry v6 n39 13 Jan 1949 Page: 6Title: Production CreditsArticle type: CreditsLanguage: English
In: Film Industry v6 n42 24 Feb 1949 Page: 8
Title: [Film Industry - v6 n42 24 Feb 1949: no known title]Article type: NoteLanguage: English
Description: Note of end of 28-day shooting schedule.
In: Film Industry v6 n41 10 Feb 1949 Page: 13
Title: [Film Industry - v6 n41 10 Feb 1949: no known title]Article type: Prod. ReportLanguage: English
In: Film Industry v6 n40 27 Jan 1949 Page: 13,16
Title: [Film Industry - v6 n40 27 Jan 1949: no known title]Article type: ArticleLanguage: English
In: Today's Cinema v72 n5806 24 May 1949 Page: 6
Title: [Today's Cinema - v72 n5806 24 May 1949: no known title]Language: English
In: Page: 98
Title: [ - : no known title]