UK Release date: 21 January 1949
First Melbourne Saturday Suburban: 24 June 1950
Genre: Drama
Country: UK
Running time: 106 minutes.
Director: Michael Powell
Cast: David Farrar, Jack Hawkins & Kathleen Byron
Australian Distributor: GBDFD
Melbourne Premiere Venue: Hoyts’ Athenaeum theatre for two weeks from 21 April 1950 supported by The Last Wish.
Suburban Release Type: Hoyts 11-W-2
Rankings
| Rank | ||
| EF Points | 97 | 209 |
| EF PPE | 2.02 | 261 |
| Metres Travelled | 483,445 | 152 |
| Average MT | 10,072 | 200 |
| Engagements | 48 | 124 |
| Slots | 50 | 195 |
| Weeks | 2 | 238 |
| Weeks as % of engagements | 4.17% | 278 |
| Saturdays | 27 | 69 |
| Sats as % of engagements | 56.25% | 72 |
| Tuesdays | 19 | 110 |
| Tues as % of engagements | 39.58% | 147 |
| First billed | 5 | 188 |
| Second billed | 43 | 60 |
| Feature only | 0 | 34* |
Hoyts ratios
| Engagements weeks 1-10 | 45 |
| Ratio | 93.75% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 1.39% |
| Eng weeks 11-26 | 2 |
| Ratio | 4.17% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -1.22% |
| Eng weeks 27-52 | 1 |
| Ratio | 2.08% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -0.16% |
| Hoyts eng | 34 |
| Ratio | 70.83% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 5.05% |
| Independent eng | 5 |
| Ratio | 10.42% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -1.08% |
| Suburban eng | 9 |
| Ratio | 18.75% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -3.97% |
Notes: Although an excellent character study, this fine drama was grim viewing and was never going to be the ideal film to front a Saturday night double feature. Therefore it took the support position to Home of the Brave on a mix of Saturdays and Tuesdays. It should be noted that that film too, was pretty strong stuff, making for a harrowing and uncompromising night out.
The Small Back Room engagements
| SUBURB | VENUE | CHAIN | DATE | W | D | B | CO-FEATURE |
| Caulfield | Crystal Palace | Suburban | 24/6/50 | 1 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Albert Park | Park | Hoyts | 24/6/50 | 1 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Brunswick | Padua | Hoyts | 24/6/50 | 1 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Malvern | New | Hoyts | 24/6/50 | 1 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| North Fitzroy | Merri | Hoyts | 24/6/50 | 1 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| South Yarra | Regent | Hoyts | 24/6/50 | 1 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Fitzroy | Regent | Hoyts | 24/6/50 | 1 | T | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Port Melbourne | Eclipse | Hoyts | 24/6/50 | 1 | T | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Richmond | Cinema | Hoyts | 24/6/50 | 1 | T | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| St.Kilda | Memorial | Hoyts | 24/6/50 | 1 | W | 1 | Once a Jolly Swagman |
| Windsor | New | Hoyts | 24/6/50 | 1 | W | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Ascot Vale | Waratah | Hoyts | 1/7/50 | 2 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Brighton | Centre | Hoyts | 1/7/50 | 2 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Coburg | Grand | Hoyts | 1/7/50 | 2 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Elsternwick | Renown | Hoyts | 1/7/50 | 2 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Essendon | Circle | Hoyts | 1/7/50 | 2 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Thornbury | Regent | Hoyts | 1/7/50 | 2 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Ascot Vale | Ascot | Suburban | 1/7/50 | 2 | T | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Northcote | Northcote | Suburban | 1/7/50 | 2 | T | 2 | Younger Brothers |
| Richmond | Globe | Suburban | 1/7/50 | 2 | T | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Essendon | Plaza | Hoyts | 1/7/50 | 2 | T | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Glenhuntly | Glenhuntly | Hoyts | 1/7/50 | 2 | T | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Balwyn | Time | Hoyts | 8/7/50 | 3 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Bentleigh | Bentleigh | Hoyts | 8/7/50 | 3 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Camberwell | Broadway | Hoyts | 8/7/50 | 3 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Gardiner | Regent | Hoyts | 8/7/50 | 3 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Hampton | Southern | Hoyts | 8/7/50 | 3 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Kew | Rialto | Hoyts | 8/7/50 | 3 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Brunswick | Alhambra | Hoyts | 8/7/50 | 3 | T | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Carnegie | Carnegie | Hoyts | 8/7/50 | 3 | T | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Glenferrie | Palace | Hoyts | 8/7/50 | 3 | T | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Preston | Circle | Hoyts | 8/7/50 | 3 | T | 2 | Younger Brothers |
| Hartwell | Regal | Suburban | 15/7/50 | 4 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Canterbury | Maling | Hoyts | 15/7/50 | 4 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Ivanhoe | Ivanhoe | Hoyts | 15/7/50 | 4 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Malvern | Victory | Hoyts | 15/7/50 | 4 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| North Fitzroy | Palace | Suburban | 15/7/50 | 4 | T | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Brunswick | Lygon | Hoyts | 15/7/50 | 4 | T | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Footscray | Barkly | Hoyts | 15/7/50 | 4 | T | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Yarraville | St. George | Suburban | 22/7/50 | 5 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Williamstown | Shore | Hoyts | 22/7/50 | 5 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| North Melbourne | Loco | Independent | 22/7/50 | 5 | T | 1 | The Huggetts Abroad |
| Oakleigh | Paramount | Independent | 29/7/50 | 6 | S | 2 | Home of the Brave |
| Elwood | Broadway | Independent | 12/8/50 | 8 | S | 1 | The Drum |
| Box Hill | Regent | Suburban | 19/8/50 | 9 | T | 1 | Unknown Island |
| North Richmond | Victoria | Independent | 30/9/50 | 15 | T | 2 | Younger Brothers |
| Malvern East | Verne | Suburban | 11/11/50 | 21 | S | 1 | Mexican Hayride |
| Coburg West | Progress | Independent | 5/5/51 | 46 | T | 2 | Devil on Wheels |
The 1950 Project 