''Running Scared'' is a 1972 British

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

film directed and co-written by David Hemmings. This was Hemmings' only film as a writer, and his first time directing. It was based on the 1964 novel of the same name written by

Gregory Mcdonald Gregory Mcdonald (February 15, 1937 – September 7, 2008) was an American mystery writer whose most famous character is the comedy investigative reporter Irwin Maurice "Fletch" Fletcher. Two of the Fletch books earned Edgar Awards from the Mys ...

Plot

Tom Betancourt (

Robert Powell Robert Powell (; born 1 June 1944) is an English actor who is known for the title roles in ''Mahler'' (1974) and '' Jesus of Nazareth'' (1977), and for his portrayal of secret agent Richard Hannay in '' The Thirty Nine Steps'' (1978) and its ...

), a student at

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

, leaves after having watched his best friend commit suicide by slashing his wrists. On principle, Tom refused to interfere, having discussed the matter with his friend, who had insisted that the suicide was his choice and that he did not wish it to be prevented. Tom then visits his friend's parents under an assumed name, and falls in love with the dead boy's sister (

Gayle Hunnicutt Gayle Jenkins, Lady Jenkins (''née'' Hunnicutt; born February 6, 1943) is an American retired film, television and stage actress. She has made more than 30 film appearances. Early life and education The daughter of Colonel Sam Lloyd Hunnicut ...

). A complicated affair ensues.

Cast

as Tom Betancourt *

as Ellen Case *

Barry Morse Herbert Morse (10 June 19182 February 2008), known professionally as Barry Morse, was a British-Canadian actor of stage, screen, and radio, best known for his roles in the ABC television series '' The Fugitive'' and the British sci-fi drama '' ...

as Mr. Case * Stephanie Bidmead as Mrs. Case *

Edward Underdown Charles Edward Underdown (3 December 190815 December 1989) was an English theatre, cinema and television actor. He was born in London and educated at Eton College in Berkshire. Notable work Early theatre credits include: Noël Coward's '' Words ...

as Mr. Betancourt *

Maxine Audley Maxine Audley (29 April 1923 – 23 July 1992) was an English theatre and film actress. She made her professional stage debut in July 1940 at the Open Air Theatre. Audley performed with the Old Vic company and the Royal Shakespeare Company many ...

as Mrs. Betancourt * Georgia Brown as Sarah * Ben Howard as Charlie * Paul Williamson as John * John Bailey as Inspector *

John Franklyn-Robbins John Franklyn-Robbins (14 December 1924 – 21 March 2009) was an English character and voice actor. A prolific Shakespearean actor, he trained at RADA and proceeded to work at the Manchester Library Theatre and the Bristol Old Vic early i ...

as Dean *

Terrence Hardiman Terrence Hardiman (born 6 April 1937)Biographical detail

Bernard Kay Bernard Frederic Bemrose Kay (23 February 1928 – 25 December 2014) was an English actor with an extensive theatre, television, and film repertoire. Career Kay began his working life as a reporter for the ''Bolton Evening News'', and a str ...

as Mr. Willis * Andy Bradford as Casey * Joseph Greig as Porter

Production

Filming

's original novel takes place between

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

and

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...

. The film switches the location from

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, ...

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

, England. Filmed on location in

Braunston Braunston is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England, next to the border with Warwickshire. At the 2011 Census, the parish had a population of 1,759. Braunston is situated just off the A45 main road and lies between the to ...

, mainly around the canal and marina. Other filming took place in high street,

Daventry Daventry ( , historically ) is a market town and civil parish in the West Northamptonshire unitary authority in Northamptonshire, England, close to the border with Warwickshire. At the 2021 Census Daventry had a population of 28,123, making ...

, at

Bilton Grange Bilton Grange is a preparatory school located in Dunchurch, near Rugby, Warwickshire. The present headmaster is Gareth Jones. The mansion which forms the main school was built in 1846 attached to an existing farmhouse and was a private family ...

and at

Oundle School Oundle School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) for pupils 11–18 situated in the market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire, England. The school has been governed by the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the City ...

Northamptonshire Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It is ...

. The film crew spent most of the summer of 1971 there and local people were asked to be extras. A film camera was positioned on top of the then disused windmill to film Robert Powell in the

Austin-Healey Austin-Healey was a British sports car maker established in 1952 through a joint venture between the Austin division of the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and the Donald Healey Motor Company (Healey), a renowned automotive engineering and des ...

sports car being driven through the village. The windmill was also used as the "base" for the crew.

Casting

Heather MacRae Heather MacRae (born October 5, 1946) is an American actress known for her role in the Woody Allen 1972 comedy '' Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask)''. Early years MacRae is the daughter of motion picture ...

was originally cast as Ellen Case and began location filming until she was fired by Hemmings for being unable to perform, possibly for drug reasons. Although not ideally suited for the role, Gayle Hunnicutt was drafted in to take it on at short notice.

Release

''Running Scared'' opened at the Plaza Cinema, Lower Regent Street, London on 27 April 1972. It ran for two weeks before being withdrawn having taken only £2,302. It then got a circuit release as supporting feature to '' Play It Again, Sam'', playing the ABC cinemas Brixton and Bayswater and the Classic cinema in Hampstead.

Loss

The film has screened on British television once, on

BBC Two BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream an ...

on 23 July 1978. As at 2020 it has never had a VHS or

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...

release although it is understood that 16mm prints were struck. Local interest in ''Running Scared'' is surprisingly strong. For an exhibition at the 2010 Braunston Festival photographs taken during filming, as well as press cuttings, original scripts and posters were displayed to the public. The original film was intended to be shown but unfortunately this was not the case at that time. Due to the interest shown, a larger exhibition and possible documentary (with input from local residents) was planned for the 40th anniversary of the making of the film in summer 2011. In December 2011, the film was shown twice in Braunston Village Halls; lead actress

was present at the screening and claimed it was the first time she had seen the film in its entirety. As of 2020 the copyright has yet to be determined.

Reception

Tom Milne, reviewing the film in ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...

'', commented that it "somehow fritters itself away into long, broody pauses and soulful searchings". Several sequences, on the other hand, were "done with a razor-sharp incisiveness that would not have shamed

Losey Losey is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Brian L. Losey, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy; Commander, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa * Frank H. Losey (1872–1931), musician, composer, and arranger of band and orchestra mus ...

and

Pinter Harold Pinter (; 10 October 1930 – 24 December 2008) was a British playwright, screenwriter, director and actor. A Nobel Prize winner, Pinter was one of the most influential modern British dramatists with a writing career that span ...

... on balance, it seems worth risking the tedium to watch a born director at work". The British periodical ''

Films and Filming ''Films and Filming'' was the longest-running British gay magazine prior to the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales.Bengry, Justin"The Queer History of Films and Filming."''Little Joe: A magazine about queers and cinema ...

'' noted the influence of Michelangelo Antonioni and stated "the lifelike and somewhat enigmatic nature of the story is seemingly based on an assumption of intelligence in the audience which is far in advance of the UK film making norm" of the time. It rated ''Running Scared'' three stars for "not to be missed".

References

External links

*{{IMDb title, id=0069201, title=Running Scared 1972 films 1972 drama films British drama films Films about suicide Films based on American novels Films shot in England Paramount Pictures films 1972 directorial debut films Films with screenplays by Clive Exton Films set in Cambridge Films directed by David Hemmings 1970s English-language films 1970s British films