Once a Sinner

1950 1h 18m EN

👍

7.1

SOLID

★7.1TMDB · 5

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Impoverished British bank clerk John Ross is hopelessly in love with drop-dead gorgeous Irene James. Ross will do anything to win Irene's affections - including embezzlement. She ends up marrying him, but she can't give up her true love, slimy counterfeiter Jimmy Smart...

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Pat Kirkwood
Irene James (as Patricia Kirkwood)
Jack Watling
John Ross
Joy Shelton
Vera Lamb
Sydney Tafler
Jimmy Smart
Thora Hird
Mrs. James
Humphrey Lestocq
Lewis Canfield
Gordon McLeod
Mr. Ross
Edith Sharpe
Mrs. Ross

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Lewis Gilbert
Writers: David Evans
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

Tight 78-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

76 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Lewis Gilbert, shot by Frank North. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Pat Kirkwood and Jack Watling and Joy Shelton carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0042806 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Lewis Gilbert directs. Frank North behind the camera. Ronald Binge scores. Lister Laurance cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 78-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
276 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Lewis Gilbert, shot by Frank North. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Ronald Binge. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Lister Laurance shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Pat Kirkwood and Jack Watling and Joy Shelton carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0042806 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 5 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Frank North
Original score: Ronald Binge
Editing: Lister Laurance
Runtime: 78 min · 1h 18m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: Once a Sinner (1950)

Also by

Lewis Gilbert

Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2014-07-20
★ 6.5/10
The Reformatory Girl. There is very little known and written about as regards Lewis Gilbert's Once a Sinner. It's one of those British "B" noir productions that hasn't been readily available to Brit Noir completists. Thankfully some stalwart noir peeps have kept it topical via internet forums and it does have an official DVD release now. Once a Sinner is very British. The backdrop is quintessentially of the British period, a place of terrace houses, smoky public houses and working class citizens trawling the wet streets that are dimly lit by bulbous lamps. The dialect and delivery is also very correct in the British mannerisms of the time, and crucially the class divide and society's reaction to our main character is born out by the film makers. Adapted to the screen by David Evans from the novel "Irene" written by Ronald Marsh, it's a film dealing with a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who steals the heart of a well to do man and subsequently flips his life upside down. Peer and parental pressure snobbery is abound as Irene James (Pat Kirkwood) and John Ross (Jack Watling) try to battle through the emotional maze pitched in front of them. But with a crooked ex-lover (the wonderful Sydney Tafler) refusing to go away, Irene's chances of finally making a go of life seems remote. For the most part the pace is slow and the picture is very dialogue heavy. Ronald Binge's musical score also confuses the issue of just what type of film this wants to be, it's all very breezy and akin to one of those lovely old Ealing comedies that were made with some wry social commentaries. That is until the last quarter is reached and the piece moves onto a different plane... Gilbert and cinematographer Frank North introduce ominous visuals as Binge's music becomes more sinister in tone. It is here where Once a Sinner earns its noir badge, the narrative becomes devil like and the pay off is straight out of noirville. It's most assuredly a fitting reward for those having the patience to stay with Gilbert's movie during the more laborious passages. 6.5/10

Production companies