Unpublished Story

Plot

In May 1940, Bob Randall (Greene), a war correspondent with a (fictional) London newspaper, the Gazette, is evacuated with British troops from the beaches of Dunkirk. He writes a hard-hitting story of his experiences, but it is censored by the Ministry of Information. Randall goes to see Lamb (Radford), the clerk responsible, but Lamb will not change his decision.

As London burns in the Blitz, and the newspaper struggles to stay in business, Randall writes several more eye-witness stories, and then learns of People For Peace, a pacifist organisation. He suspects the members of being Nazi tools and investigates the group. He finds the Gazette's fashion journalist, Carole Bennett (Hobson), at the group's meeting, also there after a story. Later, following up the story at the group's offices, Randall is surprised to see Lamb there and obviously familiar with the leading members. Afterwards, Lamb tells him he is with British counter-intelligence and that Randall's suspicions are correct, but with the group under investigation, Randall must drop his coverage of the story.

Trapes, one of the group's members, changes his views after his own home is bombed, and he sends Bennett a statement denouncing the organisation, but, still suffering from shock, he naively informs his fellow "pacifists". Revealing themselves to be Nazi agents, they force him to contact Bennett in an attempt to retrieve the letter. However, at the rendezvous, they are captured after a shootout with the authorities. The two reporters think they have a great story, but Lamb makes it clear that the incident must be an unpublished story.

Cast

Critical reception

The Radio Times noted, "Richard Greene was seconded from the Army to star in this flag-waver, which bears a passing resemblance to Foreign Correspondent," and concluded the film was "Diverting rather than involving, this is of primary interest nowadays for its splendid supporting cast."