23 Paces to Baker Street

The 1956 23 PACES TO BAKER STREET is an enjoyable mystery/thriller starring Van Johnson, Vera Miles and Cecil Parker.

Van Johnson is a blind American writer living in London. Blessed with an acute hearing sense, Johnson overhears a kidnapping plot but the authorities don't really believe him and with virtually nothing to go on, do nothing.  Johnson is frustrated with the authorities' attitude and vows to get to the bottom of all this himself -- with the help of his visiting ex-fiancée Vera Miles--who wants back into his life.  Despite his handicap, Johnson puts the pieces together using sounds as evidence and guidance. 23 Paces to Baker Street was one of several ''50s 20th Century-Fox films shot on location in London to take advantage of Fox's "frozen funds" -- money earned by the studio in England which by law could only be spent in that country.

Worth a view and the Technicolor is better than average.

Bruce R

23 PACES... is one of the better mystery movies featuring an American star with a mostly British supporting cast and crew made at that time. Even though big budget movies like "the Man Who Knew Too Much" are also in this category, I keep thinking more of the low or modest budget ones ... eg. poor Howard Keel or Brian Donlevy being (mis)cast as scientific geniuses fighting carnivorous plants or rubber suited monsters with their wits as well as their fists.

I thought 23 PACES... was one of Van Johnson's more interesting "starring role" movies. After leaving MGM, he seemed to be given many more interesting roles whereas while at MGM he was mainly used as a co-star in juvenile/light comedy roles with the occassional dramatic role ...in much the same way as Robert Young.