Hunted (1952)

Hunted (U.S. The Stranger In Between) is a British Noir crime film directed by Charles Crichton and released in 1952. Hunted is a crime drama in the form of a chase film, starring Dirk Bogarde, and written by Jack Whittingham and Michael McCarthy. It was produced by Julian Wintle and edited by Gordon Hales and Geoffrey Muller, with cinematography by Eric Cross and music by Hubert Clifford.

Director – Charles Crichton

Writers – Michael McCarthy (idea), Jack Whittingham (screenplay)

Cast –
Dirk Bogarde as Chris Lloyd
Jon Whiteley as Robbie
Elizabeth Sellars as Magda Lloyd
Kay Walsh as Mrs. Sykes
Frederick Piper as Mr. Sykes
Julian Somers as Jack Lloyd
Jane Aird as Mrs. Campbell
Jack Stewart as Mr. Campbell
Geoffrey Keen as Detective Inspector Drakin
Douglas Blackwell as Detective Sergeant Grayson
Leonard White as Police Station Sergeant
Gerald Anderson as Assistant Commissioner
Denis Webb as Chief Superintendent
Gerald Case as Deputy Assistant Commissioner
John Bushelle as Chief Inspector

Watch “Hunted” (1952)

Plot

Robbie (Jon Whiteley), an orphaned 6-year-old boy, has been placed with uncaring and harsh adoptive parents in London. Having accidentally set a small fire in the house, he fears he will receive severe punishment as he has in the past for misdemeanours, so flees into the London streets. Here, he literally runs into Chris Lloyd (Dirk Bogarde) who is himself on the run as he has, in the heat of passion, just killed his wife’s employer, whom Lloyd had discovered, was having an affair with his wife. Robbie attaches himself to Lloyd, who repeatedly tries to rid himself of the boy, albeit as caringly as possible. Lloyd decides, hesitantly, to use the boy to retrieve some much needed cash from his apartment. Thereafter, Lloyd feels compelled to bring Robbie along with him.

The film follows the pair as they travel northwards towards Scotland, with the police in somewhat baffled pursuit, and charts the developing relationship between the two. Initially Lloyd regards Robbie dismissively, as an unwanted inconvenience, while Robbie is wary and suspicious of Lloyd. As their journey progresses, however, the pair gradually develop a strong bond of friendship, trust and common cause. Both feel they have ‘burned their bridges’ and now have nothing to lose. They finally reach a small Scottish fishing port, where Lloyd steals a boat and sets sail for Ireland. During the voyage Robbie falls seriously ill, and Lloyd turns the boat back towards Scotland, where he knows the police are waiting for him.