Down River (1931 film)
1931 British film by Peter Godfrey
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Down River is a 1931 British crime film directed by Peter Godfrey and starring Charles Laughton, Jane Baxter and Harold Huth.[1][2] It was written by Ralph Gilbert Bettison based on the 1929 novel of the same title by "Seamark" (Austin J. Small),[3] and was made as a quota quickie[4] at Lime Grove Studios[5] with sets designed by Andrew Mazzei.
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"Seamark" (Austin J. Small)
| Down River | |
|---|---|
Trade show advertisement | |
| Directed by | Peter Godfrey |
| Written by | Ralph Gilbert Bettison "Seamark" (Austin J. Small) |
| Produced by | L'Estrange Fawcett |
| Starring | Charles Laughton Jane Baxter Harold Huth |
| Cinematography | Percy Strong |
| Music by | Louis Levy |
Production company | Gaumont British Picture Corporation |
| Distributed by | Gaumont British Distributors |
Release date |
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Running time | 73 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot
A man smuggling drugs up the River Thames is caught when a newspaper reporter pursues him.
Cast
- Charles Laughton as Captain Grossman
- Jane Baxter as Hilary Gordon
- Harold Huth as John Durham
- Kenneth Kove as Ronnie Gordon
- Hartley Power as Lingard
- Arthur Goullet as Maxick
- Norman Shelley as Blind Rudley
- Frederick Leister as Inspector Manning
- Cyril McLaglen as Sergeant Proctor
- Humberston Wright as Sir Michael Gordon
- Hugh E. Wright as Charlie Wong
Reception
Film Weekly wrote: "'Those who enjoy a thorough out-and-out melodrama will find all the ingredients of such a film in Down River. It is tough stuff ... The film has plenty of fights, a good deal of mysterious coming and going, and a few beautiful riverscapes, but there is little to recommend it beyond its undoubted spate of action."[6]
Kine Weekly wrote: "Charles Laughton has, in the role of Grossman, an opportunity to display his genius for make-up, but he fails to draw a convincing character, and is never too sure of his dialect."[7]