LOST
UK, 1956, 89 minutes, Colour.
David Farrar, David Knight, Julia Arnal, Eleanor Somerfield, Anthony Oliver.
Directed by Guy Green.
Lost was filmed on location around London, recognisable locations, especially in the west. The culmination is on the cliffs of Dover and the English Channel.
The film is, in many ways, a routine story about a baby-snatching. Things are complicated when conmen get involved in trying to extort money from the parents.
David Farrar is a strong presence as the detective in charge of the case. David Knight and Julia Arnal are the parents – Julia Arnal not always convincing in her performance, irritating in her grief more than being sympathetic. However, the film is of interest in having a number of prominent British actors of later decades in cameo roles: Dandy Nicholls, Mona Washbourne, Joan Sims, Joan Hickson, Barbara Windsor, Thora Hird, Marjorie Rhodes.
In many ways, the film seems quite low-key compared with any abduction film of later decades.
1.An interesting London film? The location photography in the streets and parks of London? The English Channel coast?
2.The title, the focus on the baby, on the parents, on the nanny, on the woman who took the baby, on the police and their legwork to solve the case?
3.The background of the parents, the American embassy? Lee and his marrying Sue, her European background? Arriving home, the news of the child missing, Sue at the dinner, her grief? Sue and her outbursts against the police? Lee and his trying to follow the directions of the police? Appease his wife? Acting without police knowledge, going to meet the extortionists? The fight? Going to the coastal town, running to the top of the cliffs, the confrontation with the woman? The endangerment of the baby? Being reunited with the child?
4.The nanny, going into the shop, the discussions with the woman in the shop, the customers? Finding the baby gone?
5.Inspector Craig, his methods, the criticism by Sue? His getting the material from the site, the torn book and locating the place? The button and locating the extortionist? The detailed legwork, his relationship with Lyell, with Sergeant Cook? His patience, determination? A strong character? With the doctor at the end, the heroic touch on the cliffs, rescuing the child?
6.The police, Lyell, Cook, their personalities, their work?
7.The extortionists, the phone calls, the rendezvous, the cycle, the fight?
8.The variety of incidental characters, local flavour, in the chemist’s shop, landladies, greengrocers’ wives, managers of boarding houses, secretaries for the police? Adding to the sense of realism?
9.The popularity of this kind of abduction story and its resolution?
