YIELD TO THE NIGHT

Awaiting execution for murder Mary Hilton recalls the events that led to her imprisonment: unhappily married, se first meets Jim Lancaster when he calls at the beauty salon where she is employed to buy a present of scent for his socialite girl friend Lucy. Mary sees him again at a nightclub where he plays the piano. She falls in love with Jim, and he responds to her devotion. Mary leaves her husband to live with Jim, but they part after a quarrel about his infatuation with Lucy. When Jim is spurned by Lucy he turns to Mary for solace, but later in a despondent mood, he commits suicide, Mary is heartbroken and, filled with bitterness towards Lucy she heartlessly kills her. The prison governor tells Mary that her appeal for a stay of execution has been rejected; she prepares herself for death.

"Assessment of Yield to the Night can only be made on two levels, those of the film itself: the study of a young woman awaiting execution for murder; and the novelettish flashbacks full of rejected and unfaithful lovers, etc. With this latter material we are in familiar screen territory extensive London location shooting, a flashy camera style, waferthin characterisation and improbable motivation. On the film's other level a definite attempt has been made, in the writing and presentation, objectively to penetrate the condemned cell and the doomed psychology of the murderess. Diana Dors, her natural exuberance muted, plays Mary Hilton touchingly evoking gradual but positive sympathy." ("Monthly Film Bulletin", n. 271, August 1956, p. 101)

Director: John Lee Thompson.
Screenplay: John Cresswell e Joan Henry, dal libro di Joan Henry.
Director of photography: Gilbert Taylor.
Editor: Richard Best.
Art director: Robert Jones.
Music: Ray Martin.
Sound: A. Bradburn, Len Shilton.
Cast: Diana Dors (Mary Hilton), Yvonne Mitchell (Macfarlane), Michael Craig (Jim Lancaster), Marie Ney (il direttore del carcere), Geoffrey Keen (il cappellano), Liam Redmond (il dottore), Olga Lindo (Hill), Joan Miller (Barker), Marjorie Rhodes (Brandon), Molly Urquhart (Mason), Mary Mackenzie (Maxwell), Harry Locke (Fred), Athene Seyler (Miss Bligh).
Production company: Kenneth Harper per la Associated British