This is yet another example of a film that was probably impressive when released yet seems risible today. One really expects a little more class from Alun Owen and it's quite possible that the uncredited Jimmy Sangster contributed the lion's share of the Shooting Script given that it bears all the hallmarks of Hammer tat and Sangster and Hammer were made for each other. A lot of second-rate British actors turn in second rate performances here - for some reason neither Murray Melvin or Kenneth Cope are credited on the print I viewed and are probably thankful in retrospect whilst for reasons known only to themselves the producers saw fit to import a German actress, Margit Saad to walk through a gangster's moll role that Joan Collins could have phoned in - ironically Collins' first husband, the dire Maxwell Reed has a small uncredited role. This is arguably the worst movie directed by Losey either in England or America, even The Sleeping Tiger leaves it dead in the water. Would-be hard man Stanley Baker weighs in with his usual would-be hard man performance and throws in a wayward accent that fits where it touches. If it's a choice between this or Carry On Cliché take the latter every time.
Review of The Concrete Jungle
