This film is part of Rentals
Sapphire
A young student with a secret is brutally murdered in this British Academy Award winning thriller about race, sex and jealousy.
Director: Basil Dearden
Overview
Nigel Patrick and his bigoted Inspector (Michael Craig) unravel the mystery of Sapphire, a young student found murdered on Hampstead Heath. Their investigations take them across multi-cultural London as they uncover the prejudice, chaos and rivalry that surround the young womanβs murder. Capturing the essence of 1950s literature such as Sam Selvon's 'The Lonely Londoners' and the works of Colin MacInnes, filmmakers Basil Dearden, Michael Relph and writer Janet Green use the whodunnit to present the vibrant changes happening in London during the late 1950s.
Related
Blackmail Blackmail
Police drama 1929 82 mins Silent Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock's first sound film sees a young woman blackmailed for a murder she was forced to commit.
Dirty Harry Dirty Harry
Police drama 1971 102 mins Director: Don Siegel
An unorthodox police officer (Clint Eastwood) chases a ruthless serial killer across San Francisco in Don Siegel's violent 1970s cat-and-mouse thriller.
The Wicker Man The Wicker Man
Horror 1973 88 mins Director: Robin Hardy
Christopher Lee and Edward Woodward star in the folk horror classic about a policemen investigating an island given over to paganism.
Se7en Se7en
Crime 1995 127 mins Director: David Fincher
David Fincher's breakthrough film is a disturbing and visceral thriller starring Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt as detectives hunting down a meticulous serial killer.
The Blue Lamp The Blue Lamp
Police drama 1950 85 mins Director: Basil Dearden
Dirk Bogarde stars as a loose-cannon crook with Dixon of Dock Green (Jack Warner) on his tail, in the classic Ealing policier.
Loot Loot
Comedy 1971 102 mins Director: Silvio Narizzano
Silvio Narizzano adapts Joe Ortonβs extraordinarily funny satire on police corruption and the conventions of detective fiction.
Welcome II the Terrordome Welcome II the Terrordome
Drama 1995 94 mins Director: Ngozi Onwurah
A ferocious dystopian nightmare, this was the first film directed by a Black British woman to receive a UK theatrical release.
Flame in the Streets Flame in the Streets
Drama 1961 93 mins Director: Roy Ward Baker
John Mills stars as a progressive union leader who is confronted with his own internal prejudices when his daughter brings her West Indian boyfriend home.
Kentucky Minstrels Kentucky Minstrels
Musical 1935 66 mins Director: John Baxter
Rarely-seen 1930s British musical about two African American travelling minstrels in search of entertainment work.
Wolcott Part 1 Wolcott Part 1
Police drama 1981 50 mins Director: Colin Bucksey
The gritty and ground-breaking drama debuted Britainβs first black TV cop, with George William Harris as the CID officer embroiled in a drug war.
Wolcott Part 2 Wolcott Part 2
Police drama 1981 50 mins Director: Colin Bucksey
Second episode of the provocative detective drama starring George William Harris.
Wolcott Part 3 Wolcott Part 3
Police drama 1981 52 mins Director: Colin Bucksey
Continuing the gritty and ground-breaking drama featuring Britainβs first black TV detective.
The Queen of Spades The Queen of Spades
Fantasy 1949 95 mins Director: Thorold Dickinson
Thorold Dickinson's most dazzling success, based on Pushkinβs 1834 tale of black magic and gambling.
The Blue Lamp The Blue Lamp
Police drama 1950 85 mins Director: Basil Dearden
Dirk Bogarde stars as a loose-cannon crook with Dixon of Dock Green (Jack Warner) on his tail, in the classic Ealing policier.
The Goose Steps Out The Goose Steps Out
Comedy 1942 75 mins Director: Will Hay and Basil Dearden
Will Hay's third film for Ealing Studios finds the legendary comic parachuted into Nazi Germany when British intelligence discover that he's the spitting image of an enemy master spy
Pool of London Pool of London
Crime 1951 85 mins Director: Basil Dearden
Earl Cameron plays a naive Jamaican sailor who's dragged into a botched diamond robbery when trying to help a friend.
They Came to a City They Came to a City
Fantasy 1945 78 mins Director: Basil Dearden
Long-unavailable Utopian fantasy (or 'socialist propaganda'?) - a true oddity from the wartime Ealing Studios.
All Night Long All Night Long
Drama 1962 91 mins Director: Basil Dearden
Othello is transposed to the 1960s Soho jazz scene as a malevolent drummer sows mistrust between husband-and-wife jazz luminaries.
The Captive Heart The Captive Heart
War 1946 100 mins Director: Basil Dearden
A realistic recreation of life as a prisoner of war in Germany lends credence to this moving account of wartime survival against the odds.
Timestalker Timestalker
Comedy 2024 89 mins Director: Alice Lowe
Alice Lowe's time-jumping fantasy rom-com is a colourful, darkly funny treat.
South: Sir Ernest Shackleton's Glorious Epic of the Antarctic South: Sir Ernest Shackleton's Glorious Epic of the Antarctic
Documentary 1919 81 mins Silent Director: Frank Hurley
An extraordinary story of survival in the wastes of Antarctica.
Night Courier (Mandoob) Night Courier (Mandoob)
Comedy 2023 112 mins Director: Ali Kalthami
A desperate delivery driver gets caught up in the dark underworld of Riyadh in Ali Kalthamiβs gripping, pitch-black satire.
The Ballymurphy Precedent The Ballymurphy Precedent
Documentary 2018 108 mins Director: Callum Macrae
John Pilger's film on the conflict in Northern Ireland is a skilful mix of investigative journalism, documentary storytelling and reflections on contemporary history.
Utopia Utopia
Documentary 2013 111 mins Director: John Pilger and Alan Lowery
John Pilger's portrayal of the oldest continuous human culture is also an investigation into a suppressed colonial past, and rapacious present.
The Coming War on China The Coming War on China
Documentary 2016 113 mins Director: John Pilger
John Pilgerβs prescient 60th film for ITV is both a warning and an inspiring story of resistance.β―β―