The Runaway Bus (1954)

I’ve always had a fondness for comedic whodunits and comedy thrillers and this amusing piece of English fluff, directed by Val Guest (DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE), goes down very nicely. In middle of a dense fog which prohibits flying, a small group of passengers are on an airline bus taking them to another airport. However, the “boot” (trunk to we Yanks) contains gold bullion from a heist and the one of the passengers or crew is a diabolical criminal. Will they reach their destination without incident? Of course not and that’s where the fun starts. I’m not familiar with the British comic Frankie Howerd though his style seems breezily effortless and not forced. Does young Petula Clark have more on her plate than her stewardess job? George Coulouris (CITIZEN KANE) is acting suspicious, is the handsome pilot (Terence Alexander) a good guy or a bad guy? Why is the imperious Margaret Rutherford so eager to get to her destination? Is the sexy Belinda Lee really as ditzy as she seems? And why is Frankie Howerd’s name not match up with security? It’s all played rather broadly and farcically and the great Rutherford has the knack of turning the most ordinary lines into comic gold.