By Glenn Erickson
High Tide At Noon
Brief Synopsis
A fisherman and his boss's daughter face marital problems because of class differences.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Philip Leacock
Director
Betta St. John
William Sylvester
Flora Robson
John Stevenson Lang
Alexander Knox
Film Details
Genre
Drama
Release Date
1957
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 49m
Sound
Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Color
Black and White
Synopsis
An attorney hires private detectives Al Hickey and Frank Boggs to find his missing girlfriend. Their investigation of the case first leads them to a large amount of money from a Pittsburgh bank heist, and then to the missing woman, now married the leader of a radical political group who is looking form a buyer for the stolen money. But when Hickey and Boggs infiltrate the radicals, the girlfriend gets away taking the money with her, and their identities are exposed, leading to tragedy.
Director
Philip Leacock
Director
Cast
Betta St. John
William Sylvester
Flora Robson
John Stevenson Lang
Alexander Knox
Michael Craig
John Haywald
Bill Nagy
Peter Arne
Gerald Lawson
Arthur Massey
Victor Chenet
Susan Beaumont
Richard Shaw
Paul Massie
Franklyn Fox
Nicholas Stuart
Patrick Allen
George Murcell
Stuart Nichol
Jill Dixon
Anthony Bate
Gary Thorne
Charles Richardson
Patrick Mcgoohan
Errol Mackinnon
Stella Bonheur
Ryck Rydon
Bernard Bresslaw
Ewan Roberts
Film Details
Genre
Drama
Release Date
1957
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 49m
Sound
Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Color
Black and White
Articles
High Tide at Noon -
The underrated director Philip Leacock made several sensitive films about children and social problems that deserve a major reevaluation, such as The Little Kidnappers (1953) and Hand in Hand (1961). From a novel by Elisabeth Ogilvie, his 1957 drama High Tide at Noon is a mini-epic about romance on a tiny island in Nova Scotia. As in Michael Powell's famed The Edge of the World (1937), social changes and progress are forcing a gradual abandonment of the island and its way of life. Told in flashback, the romantic story also resembles Far from the Madding Crowd in that a naïve island girl must deal with three demanding suitors. Seventeen year-old Joanna Mackenzie (Betta St. John) turns down the proposal of honest lobster fisherman Nils (Michael Craig) and fends off the uncouth advances of Simon (Patrick McGoohan). Joan eventually marries the poetic Alec (William Sylvester), only to discover that he's also a reckless gambler. Alec's attempts to atone do not go well. Patrick McGoohan stands out as the violent Simon, but most of the critical praise was reserved for actors Alexander Knox and Flora Robson as Joanna's parents, the owners of much of the island. Some reviewers faulted Betta St. John's performance, probably because the inexperienced Joanna is not the hearty type that prevails over every setback. Director Leacock favored naturalistic stories over sensationalism.
By Glenn Erickson
By Glenn Erickson
High Tide at Noon -
The underrated director Philip Leacock made several sensitive films about children and social problems that deserve a major reevaluation, such as The Little Kidnappers (1953) and Hand in Hand (1961). From a novel by Elisabeth Ogilvie, his 1957 drama High Tide at Noon is a mini-epic about romance on a tiny island in Nova Scotia. As in Michael Powell's famed The Edge of the World (1937), social changes and progress are forcing a gradual abandonment of the island and its way of life. Told in flashback, the romantic story also resembles Far from the Madding Crowd in that a naïve island girl must deal with three demanding suitors. Seventeen year-old Joanna Mackenzie (Betta St. John) turns down the proposal of honest lobster fisherman Nils (Michael Craig) and fends off the uncouth advances of Simon (Patrick McGoohan). Joan eventually marries the poetic Alec (William Sylvester), only to discover that he's also a reckless gambler. Alec's attempts to atone do not go well. Patrick McGoohan stands out as the violent Simon, but most of the critical praise was reserved for actors Alexander Knox and Flora Robson as Joanna's parents, the owners of much of the island. Some reviewers faulted Betta St. John's performance, probably because the inexperienced Joanna is not the hearty type that prevails over every setback. Director Leacock favored naturalistic stories over sensationalism. By Glenn Erickson
