The Price of Silence (1960) User Reviews

A thoroughly effective British B-film

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 28 July 2016]

THE PRICE OF SILENCE is a somewhat sedate and familiar British crime film that nonetheless has a cosy, feel-good factor to it thanks to the small-scale of the cast, the sets, and the plotting. It's a somehow engrossing piece of film-making that rises against the unoriginality of the story and the constraints of the low budget to become something superior to its peers.

It helps that Gordon Jackson gives an immensely likable performance as the protagonist, a former prisoner trying to go straight and beginning a new life for himself: a new name by change of deed poll, a new job with plenty of responsibility, and even a new girlfriend. Unfortunately for him, a face from his past has other ideas, leading to a plot that involves blackmail, murder, and a criminal investigation.

This story is well handled by director Montgomery Tully, himself a veteran of dozens of similar B-pictures. He has an eye for pace and intrigue, keeping his story bubbling along with half a dozen different sub-plots so that you never know which way it's going to go. The female cast members, including June Thorburn, are particularly alluring while there are a couple of fine male performers in support: Terence Alexander as the journalist friend, and Sam Kydd in a pivotal role for once. THE PRICE OF SILENCE breaks no new ground, but I came away from it with a big grin on my face - it's that kind of likable film.

Old lag makes good!

[johngreen-23365 · 7/10 · 8 February 2019]

The film opens with Richard Fuller (Gordon Jackson) being released from prison after doing time for embezzlement. Being an 'old lag', he has difficulty finding employment until he decides to change his name to Roger Fenton and keep quiet about his past. He soon gets a job in an estate office and the first job his elderly employer Mr Shipley gives him is to report on a country house just on the market. The property is occupied by a young, attractive artist Audrey Truscott (June Thorburn) who lives alone (later in the film they form romantic relationship). Roger does well in his job and eventually is offered a partnership in the business. However two problems arise to threaten his success. Mr Shipley inadvertently brings together Roger and Mrs Shipley, a younger, attractive lady who is bored and looking for love. She relentlessly pursues Roger almost to the point of stalking him but he consistently rejects her advances for fear of losing his job as well as jeopardising his relationship with Audrey. A more serious situation arises for him when by chance he crosses paths with a fellow prison inmate (affectionately nicknamed 'the slug' played by the ubiquitous Sam Kydd). By eavesdropping and snooping, the slug learns of Roger's change of name, employment success and girlfriend and in time honoured fashion, starts to blackmail him. Initially Roger pays the 'slug' every week at his tobacconists shop until 'sluggy' makes the fatal error of getting greedy. I will say no more how things develop as it will spoil the film for new viewers. I would class this film as a second feature but it is none the worse for that and I will not fall into the trap of assessing this 1959 film using twenty-first century criteria as some other reviewers seem unable to resist. One has to remember the function of 'B' pictures in the 1950s, the restricted budgets of film makers and the target audience. Gordon Jackson never made a bad film in my opinion and this one is well acted by all concerned. I can never watch a June Thorburn film without thinking of the real life tragedy that befell her. She was a great loss though not required to stretch herself here. Sam Kydd's part is somewhat longer than he would have been used to but he plays it well and is suitably 'low life'. The action moves along nicely and there are a couple of twists that resolve tricky situations and are quite satisfying. The film could easily be classed as 'routine' in some ways for the genre but for me, being a diehard fan of 1950s vintage 'B' films, it passed an hour or so quite pleasantly. Accordingly I think it is worth a 7 out of 10.

"There's a problem I've got to clear up first"

[hwg1957-102-265704 · 7/10 · 17 November 2018]

Roger Fenton is an ex-convict who now works respectably in a small town near London. His boss approves highly of him and the boss's young wife also does but he meets a nice woman Audrey and everything is going well for him. Then an old face from prison nicknamed The Slug turns up and wants some money to keep Roger's past as a gaolbird a secret. This leads to murder eventually. Roger Fenton becomes a man caught in a web. It's a good film.

Gordon Jackson is suitably wrought as Roger and is supported well by the luminous June Thorburn as Audrey and Llewellyn Rees as his boss H.G. Equally good is Sam Kydd as The Slug who although a blackmailer and a killer he is more to be pitied than condemned. A low budget film but it still tells a good yarn in it's 73 minutes, directed by the under rated Montgomery Tully.

Modest, undemanding but surprisingly effective crime drama.

[jamesraeburn2003 · 6 September 2017]

Richard Fuller (Gordon Jackson) is released from prison after serving a sentence for embezzlement. His record prevents him from getting a job so he changes his name to Roger Fenton, a character from a novel, by deed poll. Moving to a small town he secures a position as a managing clerk with the elderly estate agent HG Shipley (Lleweylln Rees) and he is rapidly made a senior partner in the firm. In addition, he also finds a girlfriend in the form of the artist Audrey Truscott (Jane Thornburn). However, his past catches up with him when a former cell mate known as The Slug (Sam Kydd) arrives in town, recognises him and decides to try his hand at a little blackmail. Slug demands £600.00 so that he can sale his struggling newsagents shop and open a new business in the midlands which is a more profitable location. Fenton arranges for Slug to come to his office late one evening when everyone has gone home, supposedly to collect his payoff, but in reality so he can kill him. But, things take an unexpected turn when his intended victim fails to show up on time. Fenton leaves but Slug arrives and then an elderly lady, Mrs West (Mary Clare), who is buying a property from Fenton turns up with her deposit for her house. Slug kills her and escapes with the £3000, which puts Fenton in the frame for murder...

Modest, undemanding yet sometimes effective crime drama from quota quickie veteran Montgomery Tully. Tully, whose 'A' film career got off to a flying start with the double jeopardy thriller Murder In Reverse (1945: starring William Hartnell) before he was relegated to making b-pics, displayed a talent for lifting unpromising material into something worthwhile. Here, rather surprisingly, he is able to generate some admirable tension in spite of what must have been an ultra-low budget and its mainly tiny studio settings.

Maurice J. Wilson's screenplay adds to that by shoehorning quite a lot of plot into a film that runs for just over an hour and offers us a number of possibilities as to how our hero, Fenton, will get into hot water as we know he will. For instance, HG Shipley's young, attractive wife, Maria (Maya Koumani), is bored being married to a sixty-nine year old man and attempts to pursue the younger Fenton in search of a more exciting life. In a bid to do this she influences her husband to promote him to the position of senior partner. We are invited to wonder whether her intentions are really designed to win Fenton's affections or if there is something more sinister afoot. Or, will the plot expand from Fenton's screwing over of a local town councillor who he overhears in the local pub talking of buying up an old timber yard for a song in order to flog it for an enormous profit to the local football team who desperately want it to build a new stadium, but is picked at the post by Shipley who gets their first after Fenton tips him off about the site's money making potential? Even after it has finally settled on a conventional blackmail plot, the suspense still holds up with Fenton sitting nervously in his office awaiting the arrival of his blackmailer, fiddling with the paper weight he has brought with him to do Slug in and he downs half a bottle of scotch in the process in a bid to pluck up the courage to do the deed. The will he or won't he factor reaches fever pitch here.

Although the film finally tails off into predictability with its typical b-pic finale, many movies of this type have all the suspense and tension of a worn out elastic band and few attempt to cram in as much plot as The Price Of Silence does.

The film is available as part of The Renown Crime Collection Vol 1 along with several other British quota quickie crime thrillers; many of which have probably not seen the light of day for decades. It includes Montgomery Tully's 1964 short film Boy With A Flute.

Routine fare but entertaining

[malcolmgsw · 6/10 · 3 September 2016]

The title of this film tells it all.It is a film about blackmail.Ex convict is being blackmailed by Sam Kydd ,in an unusually substantial part.As usual in films of this genre the blackmailer turns the screws too tightly.He wants £600,a large sum in those days.So late one evening at the office whilst drinking a bottle of whiskey he plots to murder Kydd.However a policeman calls to check everything is alright.So Jackson leaves early missing Kydd.Kydd arrives but he is interrupted by Mary Clare who has come to make a down payment on a property.Kydd murders Clare.Incidentally that is not only the end of Clares part but her film career.She had an impressive list of credits which included Noel Cowards stage pageant Cavalcade.Jackson comes under suspicion of murder and gives an alibi which is not supported by his bosses wife.However all ends well as Jackson is exonerated.

Worth the Price of Admission

[daoldiges · 6/10 · 17 March 2023]

The Price of Silence is a taught little British 'B' film that packs a fair amount of story into its short 72 minutes run time.

I've always kind of liked Gordon Baxter and find that he does a very fine job here as well. The remainder of the cast are also fairly solid and play their respective parts well. There is some suspin The Price of Silence is the way they wrap it up, unfortunately the end feels a little abrupt and a little tacked on.

Overall, The Price of Silence is a very pleasant film that I enjoyed spending some time with and is worth checking out for those of you who might be curious.

Average British :B" picture!

[JohnHowardReid · 5/10 · 18 February 2018]

Mind you, bu the humble standards of the British quickie, this one is not too bad at all.

In fact, the acting is very good, and Maya Koumani is certainly worth a second look.

The story, adapted from Laurence Meynell's novel, "One Step from Murder", certainly holds audience interest adequately, and the photography by Geoffrey Faithfull is certainly up to his usual high standard.

As for the direction by Montgomery Tully, all I can say that it is neither good nor bad. "Adequate", I guess you could say.

The film has a length of 6,604 feet, which would translate to around 73 minutes. That's a bit high for a supporting feature in the quota quickie class, but nonetheless it's still worth seeing if you have time on your hands or you're a fan of June Thorburn.

Gordon Jackson is his usual self and the support cast is surprisingly large by quota quickie standards.

Some Ineffective Editing

[boblipton · 5/10 · 29 January 2023]

Gordon Jackson comes out of prison with the intention of living an honest life, but for an ex-con, there aren't many opportunities. After being fired from several jobs, he changes his name by deed poll and starts over again at a real estate agency run by Llewellyn Rees. He's doing well, with a budding romantic relationship with June Thornburn, and increased responsibilities in the office, but there are flaws. Rees' wife, Maya Koumani, is bored, and keeps trying to get Jackson interested, despite his lack of interest, and a fellow ex-con, Sam Kydd, starts to blackmail him.

It's a good story, but there's something off and occasionally abrupt in the way editor Douglas Myers puts things together.; certainly there's a bit of idiot plotting in it; Jackson could simply come clean with Rees at any point, but his reluctance to do so is understandable. Still, the sloppiness of the story and the way it's all resolved seems o be pulled out nowhere for the convenience of ending it.

I've Just Met a Girl Called Maria

[richardchatten · 8/10 · 10 March 2020]

Various plot elements - an ex-con hero, a femme fatale, a blackmailer ("Where in God's name would I get £600?") - quickly emerge, but where they're all leading keeps you guessing in this taut little crime drama based on a novel by Laurence Meynell, historically notable as the final film of perennial eccentric Mary Clare.

The increasing price of sillence.

[johnshephard-83682 · 3/10 · 28 October 2019]

Routinely implausible B movie starring Gordon Jackson as thoroughly decent chap recently released from prison after a minor lapse of judgement, and starting a new life with a new name, Roger Fenton, and a job as an estate agent. All is well until fellow ex-con, The Slug, (Sam Kydd) turns up, demanding money to buy his silence about Roger's past. Fortunately for Roger, the price is the smallest blackmail fee in film history: Roger will spend two pounds a week in Slug's newsagent and 'let you keep the change' - perhaps this is how blackmail used to work on the mean streets of Surbiton, or wherever this is set. Then Slug, wisely, decides that two shillings a week won't make his fortune, and, stupidly, ups the ante to £600. Roger decides to kill him, downs a bottle of whiskey, and waits for him at eight in the evening at his office to do the deed. He has a change of heart, and leaves. Slug turns up as arranged - naturally the office building is entirely unlocked, otherwise the plot can't proceed - followed by Mrs West (Mary Clare), a client wanting to pay her £300 deposit on a house, who bafflingly supposes that an estate agent will still be working there at that time of night. Slug kills her, and the finger points at Roger, until the truth emerges.

This is one of those quickie movies whose script does not allow for any normal conversation to occur because it would take too long. When Slug makes his ridiculous demand for £600 - 'and then you'll never see me again' - Roger says 'how do I know you won't just ask for more?' (Roger's no fool). 'I've given you my promise, haven't I?' says Slug, so that's alright with Roger (who is a fool, after all). Inspector Wilson (Victor Brooks) is similarly trusting. Roger's only alibi can be provided by Maria (Maya Koumani), the unfeasibly young and exotically glamorous wife of Roger's ancient boss (Llewellyn Rees). Wilson's interrogative technique - 'Fenton says he was with you at eight o'clock on Friday Mrs Shipley, is this true? 'No, it's not,' 'Thank you, that'll be all.' - is not exactly 'Line of Duty'. The prim office secretary (Annette Kerr) is reported to have visited Roger at home, but Wilson is on the case - 'Did you visit Fenton at home Miss Collins?' Wilson demands to know: 'No, I didn't,' says Miss Collins, absolutely appalled that anyone would think she might go to a man's house. 'Thank you, Miss Collins,' says Wilson, who has worn her down into submission with his cunning trick questions. Finally, Mr Shipley debunks his wife's lies, and a vital clue leads to the real killer. We don't get to see the scene where Wilson confronts The Slug, no doubt luring him into a confession with his 'Did you kill Mrs West?' trap of ensnarement. Roger, meanwhile, can enjoy his impending happy marriage to the woman he met yesterday (June Thorburn). Likeable rubbish.

Really nothing special here

[searchanddestroy-1 · 22 July 2012]

I only comment it because no one had done it yet. This rare item from over the Channel is a Montgomery Tully's film, the prolific UK director as were Vernon Sewell, Lance Comfort, Francis Searle, Godfray Grayson and some more else. It seems this film was in LBX, and not in 1.37, as it is indicated on this web site.

The story of an ex con - sympathetic one, who was in jail only because he helped an unfaithful friend- who tries hard to begin a new life and has to deal with some "old friends" who don't hesitate to blackmail him. And also our lead is accused of a murder he did not commit. I know, that's probably the 2345th movie with such a topic.

That's the reason why I warn all the users who could catch this film. But the overall atmosphere is quite good. Monty Tully is a great pro.

Disappointing story, badly written, badly edited, poorly executed.

[gavin-83 · 2/10 · 21 June 2023]

I don't often write negative reviews but I have just watched this film and was surprised at its high rating.

On the positive side, Gordon Jackson pulled out a convincing portrayal of an erstwhile ex-con who had been in prison because of one foolish decision. A couple of other actors gave solid performances, some just read their lines and picked up the pay packet.

In the film, Sam Kydd plays a blackmailer and former inmate of Jackson, quite a hefty part for him, sadly here we get a clue as to why he rarely got a major role. He makes a good effort at the character but cannot decide on what personality he has veering between just some bloke needing the cash to occasionally something darker. At no point does he give one a sense of threat.

The film seems heavily edited (yet still drags) with characters appearing in places rather than entering them. One character (a friend of GJ) appears as a witness at the police station sitting confidently astride a chair "a la Christine Keeler" (thankfully clothed) assertively telling detective what he knows.

I found the denouement unbelievable with nothing backing it up, an ending that felt tagged on, a script that meandered and somehow reached its mooring, the port of call unsurprising for a film of this period.

Excellent understatement of a criminal thriller

[clanciai · 9/10 · 15 February 2023]

Gordon Jackson is released from prison after a one year's sentence for embezzlement by mistake and tries to start a new life, but no one wants to employ a former jailbird, so he changes his name, and is lucky enough to actually get a good job, doing well and earning the confidence of his employer, an aged man past his prime with a young slender wife who actually tries to seduce Jackson out of sheer boredom in her sexless marriage. Jackson is thoroughly straightforward and resists her a number of times - this is a modern case of the wife of Potiphar. When he gets into trouble because of a blackmailer, gradually involving even murder, that wife betrays him lying to the police, and so the jam gets thicker. It's a fine little thriller with excellent cast, and I have never seen Gordon Jackson better. All the three women, all opposites to each other, gives the drama balance, and the male characters, also quite opposite types, makes the film more than worth while.