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The Runaway Bus

  • 1954
  • 1h 18m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
893
YOUR RATING
The Runaway Bus (1954)
SatireSlapstickComedyCrimeMystery

Heavy fog grounds flights at London airport. A group of passengers board an airline bus to reach an alternative airport, hoping to depart from there instead.Heavy fog grounds flights at London airport. A group of passengers board an airline bus to reach an alternative airport, hoping to depart from there instead.Heavy fog grounds flights at London airport. A group of passengers board an airline bus to reach an alternative airport, hoping to depart from there instead.

  • Director
    • Val Guest
  • Writer
    • Val Guest
  • Stars
    • Marianne Stone
    • Lionel Murton
    • Lisa Gastoni
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.1/10
    893
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Val Guest
    • Writer
      • Val Guest
    • Stars
      • Marianne Stone
      • Lionel Murton
      • Lisa Gastoni
    • 22User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos13

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    Top cast30

    Edit
    Marianne Stone
    Marianne Stone
    • Travel Girl
    Lionel Murton
    Lionel Murton
    • American Traveller
    Lisa Gastoni
    Lisa Gastoni
    • Receptionist
    • (as Liza Gastone)
    Margaret Rutherford
    Margaret Rutherford
    • Miss Cynthia Beeston
    Belinda Lee
    Belinda Lee
    • Janie Grey
    George Coulouris
    George Coulouris
    • Ernest Schroeder
    Toke Townley
    • Henry Waterman
    Michael Gwynn
    Michael Gwynn
    • First Transport Officer
    • (as Michael Gwynne)
    Stringer Davis
    • Second Transport Officer
    Richard Beynon
    • Third Transport Officer
    Anthony Oliver
    • Duty Officer
    Petula Clark
    Petula Clark
    • Lee Nicholls
    Frankie Howerd
    Frankie Howerd
    • Percy Lamb
    Sam Kydd
    Sam Kydd
    • Security Officer
    Reginald Beckwith
    Reginald Beckwith
    • Telephone Man
    Terence Alexander
    Terence Alexander
    • Peter Jones
    Cyril Conway
    • First Crook
    Arthur Lovegrove
    • Second Crook
    • Director
      • Val Guest
    • Writer
      • Val Guest
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews22

    6.1893
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    Featured reviews

    richard.fuller1

    Too funny; ved-dy excellent British comedy

    Full of stodgy British laughs from almost fifty years ago, this movie was excellent to watch when there was nothing else to do. See an incredibly young Petula Clark (it took me a while to recognize her), Margaret Rutherford as the stereotypical English grandmother complete with fox fur and parasol, but especially the laughs are had by Frankie Howard, virtually unknown to American audiences. As the bus driver of a bus with about a half dozen passengers who are stranded in one of hte legendary London fogs, Howard gets the best laughs just trying to find the bus in the fog to begin with. The movie does valley out but it is interesting to watch to the end. Petula does not sing tho. This was a fun movie, if for nothing else then to see an aged, non-HOllywood film with non-Hollywood actors.
    7alexgreig

    Excellent vehicle (ha ha) for Howerd's humour

    Certainly not one of the classic 50s comedies, but it allows Frankie to give full reign to his unique talent. There are rather too many unbelievable plot twists and many of the characters are two dimensional, but there are some good chuckles. Nice to see a young Petula, and also Belinda Lee, one of the many blonde bombshells of the 50s who were hyped as Britain's answer to Marilyn Monroe. Disappointingly, if you enjoy watching 50s films for their shots of towns and villages in the post war period, this one seems to have been shot almost exclusively in the studio and backlot Verdict : If you are a big fan of Frankie Howerd's style, go for it.
    7ksf-2

    there was a heist....right?

    England, post war, rebuilding. It must be the brit sense of humor, calling it a runaway bus, when it spends most of the movie either traveling at one mile per hour, and just sitting on the side of the road. Similar to Quick Change, where they can't make it out of the city. Everyone fulfills their stereotype.. the pilots are hitting on the ladies, the poor, overworked bus driver (Frank Howerd) never stops grumbling and complaining. And pushy, old Miss Beeston (Ruthorford) tries to boss her way around the whole film. If you have watched her play the same personality type as Miss Marple, you'll see the humor, and why they cast her. The customer service rep has figured something out, since the driver's name doesn't match up... but what's really going on? And where did the stolen gold end up? It all has a fun sense of adventure about it, with the scary fog. Then throw in trip-wire bombs that keep going off. Written and directed by Val Guest. Won a BAFTA in 1961. Wrote many projects, directed many projects. Good one!
    peachymead-1

    runaway fun in the fog

    This is a great comedy film,with a large number of British stars on their way up including later pop star Petula Clarke who these days lives in france. The whole set up hinges on the fact that a fog covers the south east England and a Gold bullion robeery has been waiting for this very thing to happen. Master mind the Banker a most deadly crook who is not disccoved till the end of the last reel, and who the players hold a sweep stake on who it is. Frankie Howard is just great and when he climbs a post to find the way only to discover the words 'wet paint', its a laugh a minute. A film to watch over and over as you discover some thing new each time. Pity we can not have fims like this these days simple entertaining fun.
    8SimonJack

    The caper culprit in this comedy is foggy right up to the end

    There's one thing that will keep this mid-20th century comedy from ever being outdated - London's fog. The Heathrow haze in this film is thicker than pea soup, and will be familiar to all Londoners, most Brits and many tourists who have traveled to or through London. Indeed, the fog itself has a major role in "The Runaway Bus."

    This British comedy-caper is a delightful film to watch, with the fog helping to compound the suspense. It's not a laugh-a-minute script, but just a very good mix of dialog, antics and filming. The mystery is too good to give any hints that might dampen the delightful surprise ending. The caper culprit had me stumped all the way.

    The cast is perfect for this film. There are only a couple of big names that would be known around the cinematic globe in the mid-20th century - Petula Clark and Margaret Rutherford. The rest of the cast would have been unknown to all but the English audiences of the day. But Frankie Howard as Percy Lamb, George Coulouris as Edward Schroeder, Terence Alexander as Peter Jones and all the rest give top notch performances.

    Petula Clark provides a sense of order as a stewardess charged with getting some airline passengers to another airport. Her Lee Nicholls is a contrast with the hapless Percy Lamb who is the emergency relief bus driver. Rutherford's Miss Cynthia Beeston is a familiar cantankerous dowager role.

    The title of this film is odd, because the bus is never driven wildly or out of control, as the term "runaway" implies. It would be more accurate to call it a lost bus. Movie buffs who like older movies, British films, and comedy capers should enjoy this film.

    Here are a couple of favorite lines.

    Percy Lamb, "This would have to happen now, just when I wanted a day off. My grandmother, poor old soul." Duty Officer, "Is she dead?" Percy Lamb, "No, she's home on leave."

    Lee Nichols, "I'm sure we all feel safer knowing we're who we say we are."

    Related interests

    Peter Sellers in Dr. Folamour ou : comment j'ai appris à ne plus m'en faire et à aimer la bombe (1964)
    Satire
    Leslie Nielsen in Y a-t-il un flic pour sauver la reine ? (1988)
    Slapstick
    Will Ferrell in Présentateur vedette: La légende de Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in Les Soprano (1999)
    Crime
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      At the time, for a U.K. cinema release to be classed as a main feature, it had to be at least 75 minutes long. On the last day of filming, with only 30 minutes of studio time left, the crew realized that they only had enough footage and script to stretch to 72 minutes. This would have meant that this movie could only be used as a supporting feature, which would have meant a financial disaster for the backers. Frankie Howerd spotted a phone box prop and, with the clock counting down, improvised on the spot a three-minute scene of him calling his old grandmother. With no time for a run-through, the entire sequence was used unedited in the final movie.
    • Goofs
      In the actual movie, Mr. Schroeder is continually referred to as Edward as his given name. In the end credits, the character's given name is listed as Ernest.
    • Quotes

      2nd Transport Officer: We still have Emergency Relief No. 13. Is it an emergency?

      1st Transport Officer: It's a large woman running around with an umbrella.

      2nd Transport Officer: That's an emergency at any airport. Page the relief driver.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Unforgettable Frankie Howerd (2000)

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    FAQ12

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 8, 1954 (Finland)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Scream in the Night
    • Filming locations
      • Southall Studios, Southall, Middlesex, England, UK(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Val Guest Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • £45,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 18m(78 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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