The Blue Lamp

1950

Directed By

Basil Dearden

Synopsis

Starring BAFTA award-winning English acting legend Dirk Bogarde (The Servant, Darling) in a role which catapulted him to stardom, alongside Jack Warner (Dixon of Dock Green, The Square Ring) and Jimmy Hanley (It Always Rains On Sunday), The Blue Lamp was the first, and arguably still the most famous of all British Police films, and the inspiration for long-running TV series Dixon of Dock Green. Created by Ealing Studios’ stalwart Basil Dearden (Pool of London, Dead of Night) The Blue Lamp was scripted by ex-Policeman and Oscar-winning screenwriter T.E.B Clarke (The Lavender Hill Mob, Passport to Pimlico).

London after the Second World War: Long-serving policeman PC George Dixon (Warner) and his latest recruit (Hanley) go about their daily routine. When they arrive at the scene of a botched robbery at the local cinema the old policeman confronts the villain (Bogarde) and subsequently gets caught in the crossfire. In a rare turn of events the community and the underworld work together with the Law, to track down the villain and mete out the punishment he deserves.

Cast
Dirk Bogarde, Jack Warner, Jimmy Hanley, Robert Flemyng, Bernard Lee
Other Credits

Written by T.E.B Clarke

Release Date
5 October 2015
extras
  • New Locations Featurette with Film Historian Richard Dacre
  • Exclusive Audio Commentary featuring Jan Read & Academic Charles Barr
  • BBC Radio 3 the Essay: British Cinema of the 1940s – The Blue Lamp audio featurette
  • Production Stills Gallery
  • London locations Stills Gallery
  • English SDH
Restoration Details

The Digital Film restoration was funded by STUDIOCANAL in collaboration with the BFI’s Unlocking Film Heritage programme (awarding funds from the National Lottery).

Pressbook

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