The Silver Darlings

The Silver Darlings is a 1947 British film about Scottish fishermen, based on a 1941 novel by Neil M. Gunn.^[5]

The Silver Darlings
Directed by	Clarence Elder
Written by	Clarence Elder
Based on	the novel by Neil M Gunn
Starring	Clifford Evans Helen Shingler
Cinematography	Francis Carver
Edited by	Max Brenner[1]
Music by	Clifton Parker
Production company	ABPC
Release date	3 September 1947 (1947-09-03) [2]
Running time	84 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	£94,731[3]
Box office	£104,804 (UK)[4]

The film is set in the early 19th century, after the Highland Clearances. Catrine and her family, like many other dispossessed Scots, turn their hands to fishing for herring, the "silver darlings" of the title. Catrine's husband is pressganged into the Royal Navy and dies at sea. Catrine is left widowed with a young son to raise.

After some time Roddy proposes to Catrine, but her son Finn, now older, is upset about the engagement. The fishermen are still trying to avoid conscription into the Royal Navy.^[6]

Cast

• Clifford Evans as Roddy
• Helen Shingler as Catrine
• Carl Bernard as Angus
• Norman Shelley as Hendry
• Simon Lack as Don
• Norman Williams as Tormad
• Murdo Morrison as Finn (adult)
• Josephine Stewart as Una (adult)
• Hugh Griffith as Packman
• Carole Lesley as Una (Child)
• Christoper Capon as Finn (child)
• Stanley Jay as Bo'sun
• Harry Fine as Lieutenant
• Iris Vandeleur as Kirsty
• Jean Shepherd as Mrs Hendry
• Bennett O'Loghlin as Callum
• Jack Faint as Skipper Bremner
• Wilfred Caithness as first Crofter
• Michael Martin-Harvey as second Crofter
• Anne Allan as Meg
• Phema Clyne as Marie
• Peter Illing as Foreign Buyer
• Roddy Hughes as Shoemaker
• Hamilton Deane as Professor
• Kenneth Warrington as Doctor
• Phyllis Morris as Tormad's mother^[7]

Reception

As of 1 April 1950 the film had earned distributor's gross receipts of £33,783 in the UK, of which £21,836 went to the producer.^[3]

References

1. "The Silver Darlings (full cast and crew)". IMDb. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
2. "The Silver Darlings". BBFC. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
3. Chapman, J. (2022). The Money Behind the Screen: A History of British Film Finance, 1945-1985. Edinburgh University Press p 355.
4. Vincent Porter, 'The Robert Clark Account', Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Vol 20 No 4, 2000 p485
5. Goble, Alan (1999). The complete index to literary sources in film. London: Bowker-Saur. p. 954. ISBN 9781857392296.
6. Eyles, Allen. "The Silver Darlings". Rado Times. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
7. "The Silver Darlings (1947)". BFI. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.

External links

• The Silver Darlings at IMDb