Gideon's Day

source: Gideon of Scotland Yard

Gideon's Day

A rum film to be made by Hollywood's most famous anglophobe, you'd never suspect it was the work of John Ford if you'd missed the opening credits. Attractively shot in by Freddie Young in Technicolor, with a radiant young Anna Massey making her debut, it's raw enough to feature Jack Hawkins saying "reefers", a subplot about a psycho-killer, and razor-wielding thugs; although the cute model buses trundling along the model of Tower Bridge seen through Hawkins' Scotland Yard window exerts a fascination not bargained for in the script by Ealing veteran T. E. B. Clarke.

Have seen this film several times and always enjoy it. Very typical John Ford: easy-going, some high drama, some great on-location color photography, wonderful performances (with quite a bit of Fordian over-acting). There have been some frankly negative reviews of this picture (Leonard Maltin's book gives it just 1 and a half stars!) but don't let that deter you if you just want to be entertained for 90 minutes and transported to London 1958. It's not a thriller, not a who-done-it. It's just John Ford's treatment of a colorful day in the life of a Scotland Yard inspector and his family. If that's something that appeals to you, then by all means sit back and enjoy.

There was no distinguished Britiesh actor quite like Jack "We-keep-you-alive-to-serve-this-ship" Hawkins, who will always be remembered for his great character portrayal from Ben Her and numerous other great roles in films such as Lawrence of Arabia and Nicholas and Alexandra, plus so many more! The humor (or should I say humour?) in this look at a day in the life of the memorable figure of Chief Inspector Gideon of Scotland Yard makes this film so much more than an average crime flick! It is the Brit sense of humor that still makes us like the films of the underworld movies done so beautifully by Guy Ritchie. A memorable and very enjoyable watch!

All but forgotten - and all but ignored in '58 - Fordian gem, on a day in the life of a very cagey Scotland Yard Inspector, played to perfection by the estimable actor Jack Hawkins, with splendid work by a fine cast, including the always adorable Dianne Foster, an underused but very watchable Columbia contractee from Alberta. Gideon solves about five major crimes, still finding time for the missus, and a few odds and ends at the office. One wonders what a busy day is like for this guy. I saw GIDEON at a suburban art house (the Park) in '58, on a Saturday evening. About 50 people had the same idea; we came out smiling. Terrific movie; classy cops and robbers thrills for the smarter set. One of John Ford's best 50s films. Beats hell outta Grapes of Wrath and How Green was My Valley, I know that much. Geez, what hogwash.

A British crime drama; A story about a complicated day in the life of a Scotland Yard detective. This comedic, tongue-in-cheek, police detective procedural, is adapted from John Creasey's novel. It is brisk and humorous. Jack Hawkins plays his part proficiently as the reluctant hero, conveying well the life of a man with a seemingly endless flow of work and family life vexations. The many criminal acts give the film a disjointed feel, and it is dullened by melodrama in parts, but Hawkins holds our attention with his dry humour and charm, suggesting the annoyance and boredom of his job. The film is shot in glorious Technicolor and exhibits an extraordinary array of British character acting talent. John Ford succeeds in balancing the chaos and confusion of Scotland Yard and its cohorts with the wit and competence of a family man police inspector whose duty is never done.

The film has some great sayings, such as which you're unlikely to hear in any cops and robbers film again! Gideon has a gun pointed at him by the artist-turned-payroll robber. He calmly smokes his pipe and speculates the outcome for the artist, if he were to shoot, at which the artist/robber says "I don't see why you're using the subjunctive!".

The novel 'Gideon's Day' was the first in the Gideon series by John Creasey (written under the pseudonym of J J Marric) and was published in 1955. Each book in the series followed 'G G' (George Gideon) through a period of time. Cases that came up during that time were not necessarily solved by the end of the novel: they were kind of a "slice of life" of (Creasey's image of) 50s Scotland Yard. There are 21 novels in the Gideon series, as written by John Creasey, with the last one published in 1976 (2 years after his death). I did, however, once came across another Gideon novel, written after Creasey's death by another author using the name J J Marric. If you like the Gideon TV series and movie and are interested in the books, make SURE they are by Creasey as anything else is a very poor substitute.

This film is unique historically for more than one reason. It is the first - I believe only - cops and robbers film directed by John Ford. It is also unique because it is an Irish production. The 'Rising of the Moon' was an Irish production directed by John Ford. He made it clear that he would like to do another. The Irish Lord who had produced the 'Rising' read a book called Gideon's Day by an unknown writer called J.J.Merric. He loved the book, rang John Ford, and sent him a copy. When he negotiated buying the book it was discovered that J.J.Merric was in fact the famous John Creasey. Ford was captivated by the book, the deal was struck, and the wheels set in motion. In the film itself there is no indication that it is Irish other than Cyril Cusack being in it. It is the only Irish film made so far that does not have an Irish factor in its content. The world premier was in the Savoy Cinema in Dublin.