Expert: Mel - 6/12/2011

Question
Here are the clues: black and white, 40s/50s? Three main characters: mom, dad, young son. Location: claustrophobic apartment block in the USA. Season: summer, certainly very hot as the boy likes to sleep on the fire escape, or the roof. Boy tends to exaggerate, and imagines he has witnessed various crimes, so when he overhears a murder in progress while sleeping on the fire escape next to the apartment above, no one believes him. Man from upstairs visits the flat, and I think the boy has to apologise. Oh, and the boy has very distinctive eyebrows! It's the best I can do. Any ideas? Thanks.

Answer
Hello Paul,

That sounds like the 1949 film "The Window".

STORY OUTLINE: 9-year-old Tommy Woodry has a reputation for telling tall tales. One hot summer night, Tommy decides to sleep on the fire escape, outside the Kellerson's apartment, since it is one floor higher and gets more breeze. Tommy sees the Kellersons kill a man, but his parents and the police won't believe his story. However, the Kellersons are a different matter..... they want to silence him.

Have a look here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Window

http://www.eskimo.com/~noir/ftitles/window/index.shtml


Glad to be of help. Cheers.........Mel.