''Bang! You're Dead'' is a 1954 British psychological

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Lance Comfort Lance Comfort (11 August 1908 – 25 August 1966) was an English film director. In a career spanning over 25 years, he became one of the most prolific film directors in Britain, though he never gained critical attention and remained on the ...

and starring Jack Warner, Anthony Richmond,

Veronica Hurst Veronica Patricia Hurst (born Patricia Wilmshurst; 11 November 1931 – 15 November 2022) was a British film, stage and television actress. Hurst was born in Malta and brought up in Tooting, London. Early career Hurst was awarded the Leverhul ...

Derek Farr Derrick Capel Farr (7 February 191221 March 1986) was an English actor who appeared regularly in British films and television from 1938 until his death in 1986. His more famous roles include Group Captain John Whitworth in '' The Dam Busters' ...

and Sean Barrett. The film takes as its subject the accidental killing of a man by a child, and the struggles of the child and his companion to comprehend the gravity of what has happened. The film was shot at

Shepperton Studios Shepperton Studios is a film studio located in Shepperton, Surrey, England, with a history dating back to 1931. It is now part of the Pinewood Studios Group. During its early existence, the studio was branded as Sound City (not to be confused ...

with sets designed by the art director Norman G. Arnold. It was distributed by British Lion Films.

Plot

Seven year old Cliff Bonsell (Richmond) lives a lonely life with his very elderly and widowed father (Warner) in a hut on a decommissioned American army munitions stores depot in rural England. Cliff has few friends, his main companion being the slightly older Willy Maxted (Barrett), a quiet and introverted child who lives nearby with his grandmother (

Beatrice Varley Beatrice Evelyn Varley (11 July 1896 – 4 July 1964) was an English actress who appeared in television and film roles between 1936 and 1964. She made her screen debut in the 1936 film ''Tomorrow We Live'' and began to portray a variety of ch ...

). Cliff has developed a fascination for guns from films he has seen, regarding them as fun toys with which to play imaginative games. Willy's main interest is his gramophone and a single recording : "Lazy Day". Cliff discovers an old army service revolver left behind at the depot and is thrilled to have found a realistic toy to play with. He and Willy are out together when they come across unpopular local Ben Jones (

Philip Saville Philip Saville (28 October 1927 – 22 December 2016) was a British director, screenwriter and former actor whose career lasted half a century. The British Film Institute's Screenonline website described Saville as "one of Britain's most prolifi ...

). Cliff decides to tease him by threatening him with the gun cowboy-style. When Jones refuses to play along, Cliff pulls the trigger, not realising that the gun is still loaded with live bullets. Jones collapses and the pair at first think he is play-acting, but soon realise that he is dead. They flee the scene in panic. Jones's body is discovered shortly afterwards by Bob Carter (

Michael Medwin Michael Hugh Medwin, OBE (18 July 1923 – 26 February 2020) was an English actor and film producer. Life and career Medwin was born in London. He was educated at Canford School, Dorset, and the Institute Fischer, Montreux, Switzerland. He ...

), who alerts the local police. Carter also finds the gun and pockets it. However, when investigating detective Gray (

) learns that Carter and Jones had recently been involved in a fight over the attentions of the flirtatious Hilda (

), Carter becomes the main suspect and is taken in for questioning. Cliff and Willy become increasingly tormented as they try to weigh up whether it is better to let an innocent man be punished, or to confess to what actually happened and face what they see as the fearful consequences. Meanwhile, Grey gradually comes to realise that the case may not be as clear-cut as it first appeared.

Cast

* Jack Warner as Bonsell * Anthony Richmond as Cliff Bonsell * Sean Barrett as Willy Maxted *

as Detective Gray *

as Hilda *

as Bob Carter *

Gordon Harker William Gordon Harker (7 August 1885 – 2 March 1967) was an English stage and film actor. Harker was one of the sons of Sarah Elizabeth Harker, née Hall, (1856–1927), and Joseph Harker (1855–1927), a much admired set painter for the ...

as Mr. Hare *

as Mrs. Maxted *

as Ben Jones * John Warwick as Sgt. Gurney *

Toke Townley John Antony Townley (6 November 1912 – 27 September 1984), known professionally as Toke Townley, was an English actor. Biography Townley was born on 6 November 1912 at Great Dunmow, Essex; his father was a vicar. His first name, "John", was c ...

as Jimmy Knuckle

Locations

The public house "Who’d A Thought It" was in Nine Mile Ride, Crowthorne. It was closed and demolished in 2003.

Reception

The ''Time Out Film Guide'' describes it as "a strange little film (which) can't make up its mind whether it's a thriller or a piece of social conscience, but the performance of the boy lends it charm."Time Out Film Guide, Penguin Books London, 1989, p.39

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bang Youre Dead 1954 films 1950s psychological drama films Films directed by Lance Comfort British black-and-white films British psychological drama films Films set in England 1954 drama films Films scored by Eric Spear British Lion Films films Films shot at Shepperton Studios 1950s English-language films 1950s British films