| The Net | |
|---|---|
VHS cover |
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| Directed by | Anthony Asquith |
| Produced by | Anthony Darnborough |
| Written by | William Fairchild John Pudney (novel) |
| Starring | James Donald Phyllis Calvert Robert Beatty Herbert Lom |
| Music by | Benjamin Frankel |
| Cinematography | Desmond Dickinson |
| Editing by | Frederick Wilson |
| Studio | Two Cities Films |
| Release date(s) | 10 February 1953 (UK) 5 November 1953 (U.S.) |
| Running time | 86 min. |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The Net (U.S. Project M7) is a 1953 British film made by Two Cities Films, directed by Anthony Asquith and starring James Donald, Phyllis Calvert, Robert Beatty and Herbert Lom. The film is set in the world of aviation research and was based on the novel of the same name by John Pudney.
At a secret aviation research station in the English countryside, an international group of scientists are working on the prototype of a revolutionary new aircraft, known as the M7, capable of flying at up to 2,000 miles per hour. The atmosphere is competitive rather than co-operative, with fierce rivalry between the various scientists. The project leader Michael Heathley (Donald) is so wrapped up with the M7 that his wife Lydia (Calvert) feels neglected and that she is being sidelined in favour of her husband's work. At a social gathering she strikes up a conversation with Heathley's colleague Alex Leon (Lom), and the pair are soon circling one another. Meanwhile Heathley is desperate to test the M7, but is continually stonewalled by facility director Carrington (Maurice Denham).
Matters take a sinister turn when Carrington is killed, and the project members realise there is a spy in their midst. The M7 is finally given its first tense test flight, and emerges intact. The group continue to work on modifications to iron out minor problems identified on the test flight. The finished version then takes to the sky, but this time the spy shows his hand and tries to hijack the aircraft.
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