An Inspector Calls

"Is he real... or the creature of conscience?"

1954 1h 20m EN

👍

7.2

SOLID

⭐

7.5

IMDB

★7.2TMDB · 113★7.5IMDB · 6,148

CrimeDramaMystery

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

An upper-crust family dinner is interrupted by a police inspector who brings news that a girl known to everyone present has died in suspicious circumstances. It seems that any or all of them could have had a hand in her death. But who is the mysterious Inspector and what can he want of them?

“Is he real... or the creature of conscience?”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Alastair Sim
Inspector Poole
Olga Lindo
Mrs. Sybil Birling
Arthur Young
Mr. Arthur Birling
Brian Worth
Gerald Croft
Eileen Moore
Sheila Birling
Bryan Forbes
Eric Birling
Jane Wenham
Eva Smith
George Woodbridge
Fish & Chip Shop Owner - Stanley

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Guy Hamilton
Writers: Desmond Davis, J. B. Priestley
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

80 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

72 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Guy Hamilton, shot by Edward Scaife. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Francis Chagrin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Alan Osbiston shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Alastair Sim and Olga Lindo and Arthur Young carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Is he real... or the creature of conscience?".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0047119 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Guy Hamilton directs. Edward Scaife behind the camera. Francis Chagrin scores. Alan Osbiston cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

180 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
272 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Directed by Guy Hamilton, shot by Edward Scaife. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Francis Chagrin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Alan Osbiston shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Alastair Sim and Olga Lindo and Arthur Young carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Is he real... or the creature of conscience?".
8IMDB entry: tt0047119 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 13 themes, including "prostitute", "corruption", "department store", "fiancé".

The technical file

Cinematography: Edward Scaife
Original score: Francis Chagrin
Editing: Alan Osbiston
Makeup / hair: Eric Carter
Runtime: 80 min · 1h 20m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: An Inspector Calls (1954)
IMDB rating: 7.5/10 · 6,148 votes
MPAA: Approved

Also by

Guy Hamilton

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2024-01-06
★ 7/10
Alastair Sim is super as the man who calls upon the well-to-do "Birling" family with the very sad news that a young girl has been found dead. What's that to do with them, asks "Mr. Birling" (Arthur Young)? Well over the next eighty minutes this man lays before them a cleverly constructed series of theories that could easily suggest that any or all of them might be responsible for the sad and lonely predicament the young woman found herself in at the end of her life. Spurned affections and accusations of neglect, cruelty - psychologically rather than physical, and thoughtlessness could readily be laid at their door as "Poole" exposes a family riven with double standards and hypocrisy. His simple and polite inquisition gradually reveals secrets that the family would far sooner have remained so - but, are they the only people with secrets? Is "Poole" really who he claims to be? Guy Hamilton cleverly allows the darkly mischievous writing of JB Priestley and the considerable talents of his leading man to take centre screen here, and to draw us into this spider's web of a story. The format sticks pretty closely to that of the original stage performance - almost all set in just the one room of their home, and each of the small cast get their moment to squirm under his spotlight of interrogation. It's well paced and shows off Sim at his best.

Production companies