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5 out of 5 people found the following review useful: Brisk, efficient post-War British crime melodrama, 13 August 2001 Author: noir guy from London, England
Brisk, efficient British post-War crime melodrama set in London - part of the 'Spiv' movie cycle(films with roots in 30s American Gangster movies, featuring characters profiting from wartime rationing in a similar fashion to 30s bootleggers, but not so clearly glamorised as their Stateside equivalents - see also the superior NOOSE). Richard Attenborough stars as former soldier, Ted Peters, now making a living as a London cab-driver who becomes involved with a criminal gang headed by dance hall owner and criminal mastermind Mr Gregory (the seriously undervalued Barry Jones), whose henchman and M.C. Paul Baker (Barry K. Barnes) has offed Ted's childhood friend and former army buddy Dave Robinson (Bill Rowbotham, better known to U.K. audiences as Bill Owen, star of long-running U.K. T.V comedy series LAST OF THE SUMMER WINE). At Ted's behest, his girlfriend Joy (Sheila Sim) gets a job as a dancehall hostess in Gregory's dance hall as part of Ted's attempts to expose the criminal gang and the true nature of the crime lord's enterprise is gradually exposed. Punchily directed by John Paddy Carstairs, and redolent with post-War atmosphere, this is another example of the type of popular genre fare which entertained U.K. audiences in the 40s at the same time as the now revered 'noir' movies similarly engaged their U.S. contemporaries. Deserving wider acclaim, the movies from this post-War U.K. genre are valid, and diverting, social documents which often gave early exposure to burgeoning talents (in this instance, an uncredited brunette Diana Dors and a 'blink and you'll miss him' Dirk Bogarde) and should, by rights, be as revered in their country of origin as the more celebrated and documented U.S. post-War crime movies. Worth checking out, if you get the chance.
Quick paced crime thriller, 5 February 2008 Author: gordonl56 from Canada
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Richard Attenborough plays a cab driver who gets involved in the gang murder of a friend. The friend, Bill Owen, was mixed up with a group of smugglers who decided he was no longer an asset to the crew. Attenborough does some digging of his own and soon finds himself in over his head. The gang sends its heavy mob out after him and he barely escapes with his life. Things really start hopping when the mob grabs up Attenborough's girl. The film features a dark seedy look to it and makes good use of the streets and dark lanes for a nice noir atmosphere. Look quick and you can catch Dirk Bogarde as a cop in the crowd. The cast is quite good with Garry Marsh, Barry Jones and Sheila Sim all doing good work. Nice time-waster.
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