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The Long Memory

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description The Long Memory Overview

The Long Memory is a 1953 British crime film directed by Robert Hamer and adapted from Howard Clewes's novel. John Mills stars as Phillip Davidson, a man released after serving a prison sentence for a murder he did not commit, who searches the Thames estuary for those responsible for his conviction. Its bleak locations, fatalistic revenge narrative, and morally compromised characters have led it to be discussed as an example of British film noir.

help The Long Memory FAQ

What is the plot of The Long Memory?

John Mills plays Phillip Davidson, who is released after 12 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. He returns to the Thames estuary and begins tracking the people whose lies sent him to prison. [The Long Memory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Memory)

Why is the Thames estuary important in The Long Memory?

Robert Hamer uses the mudflats, barges, marshes, and industrial shoreline around the Thames estuary as a major part of the film's mood. Much of the location work took place around Gravesend and the North Kent Marshes. [The Long Memory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Memory)

Is The Long Memory based on a book?

Yes. The 1953 film adapts Howard Clewes's 1951 crime novel, with Robert Hamer and Frank Harvey credited for the screenplay. The film shifts more of the story's focus toward Davidson's experience of injustice. [The Long Memory novel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Memory_(novel))

Did Robert Hamer also direct Kind Hearts and Coronets?

Yes. Hamer directed The Long Memory after making the 1949 Ealing classic Kind Hearts and Coronets. Both films show his interest in dark crime stories, although The Long Memory is a much grimmer 1953 British noir. [BFI on Robert Hamer](https://www.bfi.org.uk/lists/10-great-last-films-british-directors)

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