Mine Own Executioner is a 1947 British psychological thriller drama film starring Burgess Meredith and directed by Anthony Kimmins, and based on the novel of the same name by Nigel Balchin. It was entered into the 1947 Cannes Film Festival. The title is derived from a quotation of John Donne's "Devotions", which serves as an epigraph for the original book.

Plot

Felix Milne (Meredith) is an overworked psychologist with psychological problems of his own. Molly Lucian seeks Milne's help in treating her husband Adam, traumatised from his experiences in a Japanese POW camp. Adam is about to become severely schizophrenic. To make matters worse, Felix finds his own home life deteriorating.

Cast

Production

The American actor Burgess Meredith was cast in the lead. At the same time, his wife Paulette Goddard was also hired by Alexander Korda to appear in An Ideal Husband (1947). Australian Frederic Hilton worked as technical adviser.

Reception

The New York Times noted a "serious, adult and highly interesting film drama both in point of view and execution," singling out the work of writer Balchin, director Kimmins, and producer Korda, alongside stars Burgess Meredith and Kieron Moore. As of 30 June 1949, the film had earned £143,632 in the UK of which £101,963 went to the producer. The film was picketed on its US release by the Sons of Liberty, an anti-British group active at the time. The picketing was part of the group's call to boycott British films and products, and had little to do with Mine Own Executioner itself.