JUDGMENT DEFERRED

A.B.F.D Productions

From Group 3

Presents

An Associated British Release

JUDGMENT DEFERRED

Starring: Hugh Sinclair as David Kennedy; Helen Shingler as Kay Kennedy; and Joan Collins as Lil Carter; With: Abraham Sofaer; Leslie Dwyer; Harry Locke; Elwyn Brook Jones; Wilfrid Walter; Marie O’Neill; Bransby Williams; and Bud Flanagan; Directed by John Baxter

Robert Carter is convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to imprisonment. A group of his eccentric associates vow to bring the head of the dope smuggling ring Coxon who framed Carter, to justice. After Carter escapes from prison they manage to convince Lil (Joan Collins), Carter’s wayward daughter, who was romantically involved with Coxon, to help them. A reporter David Kennedy interrupts his holiday to cover the story and goes undercover to infiltrate Carter’s band of down and out friends who are holed up in a shelter for the homeless founded by Carter. David agrees to help them trap the criminals and prove Carter’s innocence. Will Coxon get his comeuppance? Will Carter be reunited with daughter Lil? Will Kennedy's wife Kay ever forgive him for ruining her holiday? Find out in Judgment Deferred!!

©1951 Group 3 Productions 88 Mins B/W

Judgment Deferred was originally made in 1933 under the title “Doss House” by the same director Baxter. This was Joan Collin’s third movie following “The Woman’s Angle.” Before shooting this film, Joan screen tested for the part of Alan Ladd’s girlfriend in a film called “The Red Beret.” The role eventually went to Susan Stephen whose career fizzled out in the late fifties after she married director Nicolas Roeg. At this time Joan also did a test with heart throb Dirk Bogarde. Judgment Deferred was shot at South-hall Studios. The script described Joan’s character Lil, as“ A once beautiful girl fallen on hard times through drink, drugs and deprivation!" Publicity cited the role as, “An exciting and emotional role of a one time beautiful girl, a convicts daughter, ruined by the colourful and dangerous crowd in which she has sought pleasure." The Evening News ran a review which said ,“Although so young for her emotional role, Joan Collins comes through with flying colours.” PRESS RELEASE!! “ Brilliant New Screen Discovery!!” When two such veterans of the film industry as John Baxter and Bill Watts (Joan’s first agent), think they have discovered a future star, then its something to talk about! Joan Collins is the girl!

Viewed today, “Judgment Deferred” is an unusual film, with it’s strange array of characters and it’s drug trafficking plotline, which may have seemed almost seedy in the fifties. Joan plays the role of Lil Carter with a mix of streetwise goodtime girl and a naïve teenager. We first see her decked in furs and all made up as she is the criminal Coxons girlfriend. But later when he no longer wants her, she turns up the worse for wear minus the furs and caked in dirt rather than max factor! Joan is wonderful in the small but important role of an naïve girl who becomes smitten by a user! It was the first of many roles for Joan where she played wayward girls, who always seems to get mixed up with the wrong types. Leslie Dwyer who plays the go between flowers, also turns up in another of Joan’s 50’s films, “The Good Die Young”. While actor Harry Locke who plays Bert, also turns up in “Subterfuge” and the classic terror film “Tales from the Crypt”. (All of which we will cover in future articles for the Joan Collins Fan Club).

© 2010 Mark McMorrow