Subway in the Sky

Subway in the Sky

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	1959
Founder	Muriel Box (director)
Headquarters	London (Shepperton Studios) , United Kingdom
Products	Crime film

Subway in the Sky is a 1959 British crime film helmed by director Muriel Box and featuring performances by Van Johnson, Hildegard Knef, and Albert Lieven. The screenplay, penned by Jack Andrews, adapts Ian Main's 1957 theatrical play. Within the film, Knef—who subsequently pursued a career as a cabaret vocalist and songwriter—delivers the song "It Isn't Love," composed by Jeff Davis with lyrics by Geoffrey Parsons.

Plot

After being wrongfully charged with drug dealing and homicide, American soldier Baxter Grant deserts his post in West Berlin. He turns to cabaret performer Lilli Hoffman for sanctuary, convincing her to assist him in establishing his innocence.

Cast

• Van Johnson portraying Major Baxter Grant
• Hildegard Knef as Lilli Hoffman
• Albert Lieven in the role of Carl
• Cec Linder playing Carson
• Katherine Kath as Anna Grant
• Vivian Matalon as Stefan Grant
• Carl Jaffe cast as German Detective
• Chuck Keyser in the role of Sergeant Harwell
• Gaylord Cavallaro as switchboard operator
• Michael Bell appearing as G.I.
• E. Kerrigan Prescott portraying sentry
• James Maxwell as officer
• Gerda Larsen cast as air stewardess
• Tom Watson in the role of corporal
• Edward Judd portraying Molloy
• Brian Wilde as military policeman

Production

The movie was filmed at Shepperton Studios, located near London, with art director George Provis responsible for the set design.

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin remarked that although the actors, notably Cec Linder, delivered earnest performances, the implausible plot and characters undermined believability. The film’s visual elements and set design were considered stronger than its narrative.

Leslie Halliwell characterized the production as a "tedious photographed play" that offered limited dramatic impact.

Leonard Maltin assigned a rating of one and a half stars out of four, describing it as a "flabby caper" that failed to make good use of Hildegard Neff's abilities.

In a review for the Radio Times, Tony Sloman awarded three out of five stars, emphasizing the merits of the cast, storyline, and Muriel Box’s direction as reasons to reconsider the film. He commended Van Johnson’s often overlooked acting skills and highlighted Wilkie Cooper’s stark monochrome cinematography, while acknowledging that the movie’s theatrical roots remained evident.

Within British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959, critic David Quinlan rated the film as "average," describing it as a restrained and stage-bound adaptation of a previously successful play.