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| Van Johnson performs a blind man who overs the kidnap plan of a kid, in 1956’s “23 Paces to Baker Avenue.” |
I had by no means heard of 1956’s 23 Paces to Baker Avenue, however learn that it
was thought-about Hitchcock-esque, which at all times will get my consideration.
This Henry Hathaway-directed movie was certainly Hitch-esque,
in a great way. 23 Paces to Baker Avenue is the story of a blind playwright
that overhears a plot to kidnap a baby, solely to develop into a goal himself. The
suspense flick has components of Alfred Hitchcock classics Rear Window and The Man Who
Knew Too A lot, and 1967’s Hitch-like Wait
Till Darkish.
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| “23 Paces to Baker Avenue,” a stable 1956 suspense movie, within the Hitchcock model. |
23
Paces to Baker Avenue stands by itself, regardless of Hitchcock comparisons, derived from Philip
McDonald’s Warrant for X in1938. The popular British novelist additionally wrote The Checklist of Adrian Messenger. But, the
movie does form the story within the Hitchcock mildew. The result’s a stable and
trendy suspense movie.
A twentieth Century Fox movie in Cinemascope, 23 Paces to Baker Avenue is superbly
lensed, with a good quantity of eye-catching post-war London location taking pictures. Milton
R. Krasner, certainly one of Fox’s prime cinematographers, does a high-quality job right here. Henry
Hathaway, maybe Fox’s greatest studio director, tells the story with some model
and with a positive hand. These outdated execs have been within the final hurrah of their studio tenure.
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| Van Johnson is a blind and bitter playwright within the 1956 thriller, “23 Paces to Baker Avenue.” |
Van Johnson, whose stardom had peaked at this
level, was doing a little latter day dramatic roles. They appeared to faucet into Van’s bitter
and petulant off-camera aspect, as his star was fading at 40, post-MGM glory years.
It really works for the function because the blinded playwright, Phillip Hannon. Van’s
performing is pure and never overdone, as he could possibly be at instances in his Metro heyday.
Phillip now makes use of his different senses to compensate, and therefore makes use of his
playwright’s listening expertise to get a bead on the abductors.
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| Vera Miles obtained the closest to enjoying a glamorous Hitchcock blonde in 1956’s “23 Paces to Baker Avenue.” Note the gray suit! |
Vera Miles performs Van’s ex-fiancee, Jean
Lennox, who the playwright spurned in self-pity after his accident. Vera is kind of
fairly and does a very good approximation of the sport Hitchcock blonde, proper down
to the fitted grey fits. A disgrace Miles’ character wasn’t as carefree as Grace
Kelly’s Lisa in Rear Window, as an alternative
of a long-suffering ex. Miles was 26 right here,
a promising starlet. As of April 2026, Vera continues to be with us, and turns 96 August
23!
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| Vera Miles was 26 the 12 months “23 Paces to Baker Avenue” was launched. |
Cecil Parker is a scene-stealer as man servant
Bob Matthews to Van’s tense playwright; Patricia Laffan (Quo
Vadis villainess) is a shady woman governess from the employment company;
Estelle Winwood is the great egg bar maid from the pub: Natalie Norwick is
sought-after Janet Murch; and Isobel Elsom is charming enjoyable as Woman Syrett. A glorious supporting
forged spherical out the assorted cops, bystanders, and unhealthy guys on this tense
thriller.
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| Estelle Winwood gives enjoyable character taste, in “23 Paces to Baker Avenue.” |
As soon as the unknown villains are on to the
playwright’s being on to them, the stakes
develop into a lot increased, resulting in some precarious moments for the blind man. The
scene the place Van’s newbie detective is lured right into a condemned constructing is a nail
biter. The finale may be very harking back to Audrey Hepburn’s Wait Till Darkish, however this film got here out a decade earlier than, and it’s
additionally thrilling.
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| The villain, who’s been stalking the blind playwright, about to be revealed, in 1956’s “23 Paces to Baker Avenue.” |
As Van’s playwright, his manservant, and
ex-girlfriend help the police investigation, there are a number of quirky surprises
alongside the way in which. Alfred
Hitchcock was so usually imitated on movie that the higher examples are sometimes
known as “Might Have Been Hitchcock.” The primary distinction is that the
imitations normally lack Hitch’s twisted subtext. All in all, 23 Paces to Baker Avenue is a nifty
little nail-biter!
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| Van Johnson, the blind playwright who places himself on the sting of hazard, in 1956’s “23 Paces to Baker Avenue.” |
Rear Window stays certainly one of Alfred
Hitchcock’s greatest Technicolor blockbusters. My have a look at Rear Window right here:
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| “Rear Window,” 1954 |
https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2017/06/hitchcocks-rear-window-still-thrills.html
