The Night My Number Came Up

Plot summary

A senior Royal Air Force officer (Michael Redgrave) is at a dinner party in Hong Kong at which one of those present (Michael Hordern) talks about a dream he had in which the Air Force Officer and a group of 12 companions were flying from Bangkok in a Dakota which crashed on a rocky shore. The Air Marshal is due to fly to Tokyo the following day but is not disturbed because many of the details differ from his planned voyage, including using a different kind of aircraft, a Consolidated Liberator.

When problems ground the planned aircraft, a Dakota airliner - like the one seen in the dream - is substituted, and a number of other passengers arrive to make the total crew and passengers match the dream's number of 13. As the flight proceeds, other circumstances change so that eventually most of the details correspond to the dream, except that the aircraft, instead of crashing, makes a controlled crash-landing in a snowfield in the mountains and all on board survive.

Production

The Night My Number Came Up was made by J Arthur Rank at the Ealing Studios.

Leslie Norman said he found the original magazine article and suggested it become a film. He wrote a synopsis and sent it to Michael Balcon, who agreed to make the film - although he refused to let Leslie Norman write the script (which Norman wanted to do) and insisted R.C. Sheriff get the job. Norman later said "I don't think R.C. Sheriff added anything to it."

Part of the film was shot in Hong Kong, particularly Kai Tak Airport. Norman said he was "pretty pleased with" the film but felt "Ursula Jeans was a weak link".

Reception

Film critic and historian Leonard Maltin said The Night My Number Came Up, was a "... first-rate suspense film (that) will have you holding your breath as it recounts tale of routine military flight, the fate of which may or may not depend on a prophetic dream."

In the Time Out review, Trevor Johnston saw The Night My Number Came Up as, "Clever plot construction, a plane-load of top British thesps, and smooth handling from director Leslie Norman (Barry's dad) all give good value."

The Night My Number Came Up was nominated for four 1956 BAFTA Awards: Michael Redgrave as Best British Actor, R.C. Sherriff for Best British Screenplay and for Best Film from any Source as well as Best British Film.