Daybreak (1948 film)

Daybreak is a 1948 British film noir drama film, directed by Compton Bennett and starring Eric Portman, Ann Todd and Maxwell Reed. A sombre, bleak film, Daybreak was filmed in 1946, but ran into trouble with the BBFC, resulting in a delay of almost two years before its release. The version finally approved for release excised approximately six minutes of original footage, resulting in some jerky cuts where scenes have been removed and leaving noticeable plot lacunae which are considered to detract somewhat from an otherwise wellregarded film.

One evening during a rainstorm, Eddie goes into a public house for a drink and meets the bedraggled Frankie Todd, an aimless, worldbeaten drifter. There are suggestions that Frankie may be, or have been in the past, a prostitute it is surmised that some of the deleted footage may have made this more explicit. The pair fall in love and are soon married, although Frankies vagueness about her past hangs unspoken over the relationship. Eddies father dies, leaving him the family barge business on the River Thames. He hands over the barbers shop to Ron and takes over the business, setting up home with Frankie on one of the barges.Eddie hires a Scandinavian seaman Olaf Reed to work for him, and soon the arrogant Olaf has Frankie in his sights. Despite herself she is attracted to him, but tries to deny her feelings. Meanwhile Eddie is called away for reasons he cannot explain, and Frankie increasingly finds herself struggling to rebuff Olafs advances during Eddies absences. When he is next called away, she begs him either not to go or to take her with him, but as neither is an option for Eddie, she pleads with elderly bargeman Bill Shackle Edward Rigby to stay with her while Eddie is gone. Shackle is unable to grant her request due to other commitments. ........

Source: Wikipedia