An adventurer investigates the theft of a formula for hardened steel, assisted by his girlfriend.An adventurer investigates the theft of a formula for hardened steel, assisted by his girlfriend.An adventurer investigates the theft of a formula for hardened steel, assisted by his girlfriend.
Photos
Esma Cannon
- Patient in Doctor's Waiting Room
- (as Esme Cannon)
Ernest Blyth
- Passer-By
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- GoofsThe stunt double bears little resemblance to Terence Morgan when he climbs onto the Newhaven harbor gates and then leaps onto Professor Newman's boat.
- Quotes
Johnny O'Flynn: Well, if it isn't my old friend Basil?
Inspector Forsythe: Inspector Forsythe, if you don't mind.
Johnny O'Flynn: Inspector Forsythe to millions. But to both your friends, one of which I've always aspired to be, just plain Basil.
Featured review
The Steel Key
International playboy and thief Johnny O'Flynn (Terence Morgan) tries to prevent criminals from stealing a secret formula for processing hardened steel, called the Steel Key, and discovers that one of the scientists involved has been murdered while another, Professor Newman, has died of apparently natural causes. His investigation leads him to a sanatorium, run by one Dr Crabtree, and a captured scientist forced to reproduce the formula. On the way, Johnny meets Newman's glamorous, younger wife Sylvia and rescues Joan Rice, a nurse, after the kidnappers try to kill her. Inspector Forsythe of Scotland Yard is also on the scent, but is intent on arresting Johnny for the crime.
Okay, I'll be honest. Some people say they love a particular film. I'm willing to go further than that. If this film was a woman, I would invite her to the most expensive restaurant in town. I'd buy her flowers. I'd get on bended knee and propose. I've only seen the film once so far but - come on - there's such a thing as love at first sight, isn't there?
But seriously, this one is such a good deal of fun and will probably end up being one of my favourites of the era. It seems explicitly designed to appeal to me and other fans of fun adventure-thrillers in which a suave and witty hero make fools of the police, gets into fisticuffs with the bad guys, joins forces with a plucky heroine and flies by the seat of his pants until he prevents an international conspiracy to ... well, whatever the bad guys are trying to do.
This was originally intended to be a film of The Saint, but producers Robert S. Baker and Monty Berman could not secure the rights to the character. (They would eventually, of course, make a phenomenally successful television series based on the character with Roger Moore.) Its Saintly beginnings, however, remain obvious to all as O'Flynn is considered to be a thief who claims a reward for any boodle he recovers and spars wryly with a portly inspector who would love to put him behind bars. It's basically Simon and Inspector Teal, with all the hijinks that implies.
With his chiselled features, slick dark hair and glint in his eye, actor Terrence Morgan makes for a likable and charismatic hero as Johnny O'Flynn. Amid all the action, there are some good dollops of humour in here too. There is, of course, the constant cat-and-mouse game with the police, but there are also moments which border on farce (never a bad thing, in my book) as Johnny pretends to be one of the scientists involved with Newman. Indeed, nurse Joan never discovers his real name and it is uttered only a handful of times in the whole film. The finger of accusation moves frequently from one suspect to another, but this a pacey adventure and not a drawing room whodunit, though the revelation does come as a surprise. The only criticism I would make is the inclusion of three scientists (one who is only referred to), which seems a bit messy to me. Perhaps it would have been better if Newman alone had been the scientist and the other two helped fund his experiments or held government positions.
Morgan's career started out promisingly with roles in Olivier's Hamlet and Captain Horatio Hornblower with Gregory Peck, but he quickly slid into B-films and became typecast as villains, and though a switch to television with The Adventures of Francis Drake was successful, it did not last. Fortunately, there does not seem to have been an unhappy ending for Morgan, as he left acting to run a hotel in Sussex for many years before becoming a property developer. He died in 2005 at the age of 83. It's a wonder Hollywood didn't want him, but I suppose there were so many other actors out there who could also offer what he had.
Anyway, The Steel Key - see it!
Okay, I'll be honest. Some people say they love a particular film. I'm willing to go further than that. If this film was a woman, I would invite her to the most expensive restaurant in town. I'd buy her flowers. I'd get on bended knee and propose. I've only seen the film once so far but - come on - there's such a thing as love at first sight, isn't there?
But seriously, this one is such a good deal of fun and will probably end up being one of my favourites of the era. It seems explicitly designed to appeal to me and other fans of fun adventure-thrillers in which a suave and witty hero make fools of the police, gets into fisticuffs with the bad guys, joins forces with a plucky heroine and flies by the seat of his pants until he prevents an international conspiracy to ... well, whatever the bad guys are trying to do.
This was originally intended to be a film of The Saint, but producers Robert S. Baker and Monty Berman could not secure the rights to the character. (They would eventually, of course, make a phenomenally successful television series based on the character with Roger Moore.) Its Saintly beginnings, however, remain obvious to all as O'Flynn is considered to be a thief who claims a reward for any boodle he recovers and spars wryly with a portly inspector who would love to put him behind bars. It's basically Simon and Inspector Teal, with all the hijinks that implies.
With his chiselled features, slick dark hair and glint in his eye, actor Terrence Morgan makes for a likable and charismatic hero as Johnny O'Flynn. Amid all the action, there are some good dollops of humour in here too. There is, of course, the constant cat-and-mouse game with the police, but there are also moments which border on farce (never a bad thing, in my book) as Johnny pretends to be one of the scientists involved with Newman. Indeed, nurse Joan never discovers his real name and it is uttered only a handful of times in the whole film. The finger of accusation moves frequently from one suspect to another, but this a pacey adventure and not a drawing room whodunit, though the revelation does come as a surprise. The only criticism I would make is the inclusion of three scientists (one who is only referred to), which seems a bit messy to me. Perhaps it would have been better if Newman alone had been the scientist and the other two helped fund his experiments or held government positions.
Morgan's career started out promisingly with roles in Olivier's Hamlet and Captain Horatio Hornblower with Gregory Peck, but he quickly slid into B-films and became typecast as villains, and though a switch to television with The Adventures of Francis Drake was successful, it did not last. Fortunately, there does not seem to have been an unhappy ending for Morgan, as he left acting to run a hotel in Sussex for many years before becoming a property developer. He died in 2005 at the age of 83. It's a wonder Hollywood didn't want him, but I suppose there were so many other actors out there who could also offer what he had.
Anyway, The Steel Key - see it!
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- djfjflsflscv
- Apr 1, 2020
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Filming locations
- Alliance Film Studios, Southall, Middlesex, England, UK(studio: made at Alliance Studios London)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 9 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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