Room 43 (1958) User Reviews

Herbert Lom, pimp meister!

[Fred_Rap · 7/10 · 1 January 2013]

Among the sundry delights to be found in this British white slavery sexpose is the gonzo turn by Herbert Lom. As London's mac daddy supreme Nick Biaggi, Lom is a sight to behold, a horn-doggie dandy in homburg, lapel carnation and spats (au courant fashion be damned). He's low-key at first, oozing oily charm and generosity, the better to bamboozle naive French waif Odile Versois, who's been lured into a life of shame by Lom's field procurer/mamasan/mistress Brenda De Banzie. But behind closed doors it's a whole 'nother Herb. Channeling his inner Michael Gough, he's all over Odile like a cheap suit, manhandling her love handles and assaulting her face with wet, slobbering kisses. It's truly an unhinged spectacle; even Lom's toupee looks like it has an erection.

Also in the house: affable tough guy Eddie Constantine as the world's least likely Canadian, the always welcome Robert Brown (Tumak's dad in One Million Years B.C., 'M' in the Bond films of the '80s) as a two-fisted cabbie who rouses his fellow hacks to do battle with the 'ho-mongers, Diana Dors, poured into bum-busting skirts and Frederick's of Soho lingerie, as a hooker with a score to settle, and, as the groom at a wedding party, a remarkably young Michael Caine.

All this plus a wacky weed-induced dream scene that must be seen to be disbelieved.

Lowdown high times guaranteed.

AKA "Passport To Shame"

[howardmorley · 6/10 · 19 April 2014]

Diana Dors was at her Marilyn Monroe like physical voluptuous peak in this 1958 film drama about prostitution in London.Playing a "tart with a heart" she is only on the game to earn enough money for plastic surgery to save her younger sister's face from a previous acid attack by her vicious pimp (played by Herbert Lom) when her sister had previously refused to go "on the game".A shining white knight appears on the scene, not on a horse but in the form of a London taxicab driver (and his loyal cab mates)- a Canadian war veteran played by Eddie Constantine.Herbert Lom deceitfully involves both the new naive blonde girl (played by French actress Odile Versois) into his group of girls for hire and the taxi cab owner into his debt.

In the light of sex & violence graphically shown in 2014 by the media, this film will seem rather tame but I'm sure it had an X certificate at British cinemas in 1958 for its adult themes.There is also a drug scene, another taboo subject at the time.For Dors fans, a companion to this film would be "Yield to the Night", aka "Blonde Sinner" the latter film loosely based on the celebrated case of Ruth Ellis the last woman to be hanged in 1955 in Britain.I voted "Passport to Shame" 6/10 as I felt "Blonde Sinner" had slightly the stronger story line and better production values.

immediately engrossing

[killercharm · 7/10 · 6 May 2020]

I fully expected this to be as lurid as its title but watched it anyway, probably because I first found it under its much cooler name, Room 43. Glad I did; it's immediately engrossing. A sweet French waitress is framed into prostitution. The first step is to set her up as a "thief" at her place of work. Then the madam, who works for the pimp, swoops in to "save" her and whisk her off to England. Once there they tell her she needs to marry a brit to stay there, enter our hero cabbie. This is all in service of forcing her into the life. There are some wonderfully 50s bombshells to contrast against her innocence which is underscored by her finding and adopting a kitten, as well as and other beauties of the era.

Almost absurdly melodramatic though based on facts

[wilvram · 7/10 · 15 April 2020]

Passport to Shame. What a great title, which is why it's surprising it should be changed to the more prosaic Room 43 across the Atlantic. It was more usual for British films going in that direction to have their names 'sexed-up' e.g. Hammer's The Flanagan Boy became Bad Blonde.

It is introduced pre-credits by Ex-Superintendent Robert Fabian 'Fabian of the Yard' himself, who claims that London 'has probably the worst prostitution problem in the world' and goes on to say that the film presents what is going on 'frankly, dramatically and accurately'. Though no doubt it was thought this necessary to forestall any problems with the BBFC, and it is striking how his inference that the majority of prostitutes were there by coercion rather than choice chimes with that of some modern radical feminists, it was quite true that many of the incidents the film depicts were commonplace. There really were gangster pimps and ponces like Herbert Lom's Nick Biaggi who terrorized any of their victims thinking of giving evidence against them, and the false wedding racket was widely used by the likes of the notorious Messina brothers and their low-life successors.

There is a great cast including some of my favourite actors, including Eddie Constantine, Diana Dors at her most spectacular, and Herbert Lom himself. Elwyn Brook-Jones is a strikingly slimy crooked solicitor, and while I've never rated Brenda De Banzie as a particularly convincing actress she's very good as a blowzy vicious madame. Scenes such as the fake wedding with the seedy guests are well done, though those toward the end, including the cabbies' attack on the vice den, borrowed from an earlier film, Noose, of a decade earlier tend toward the risible. Previously only available in a mutilated version sans the Fabian introduction, Passport to Shame has been released complete by Network on a R2 disc with vastly improved sound and visuals.

The Dating Game

[writers_reign · 6/10 · 17 January 2009]

A pre-credit introduction by Fabian of the 'Yard' attempts to sell this as an expose of vice with special reference to human trafficking - very relevant today - but it quickly segues into just another girl-in-jeopardy thriller in which vice is only peripheral. The first fifth shows how easy it is for an innocent and naive girl to be recruited and groomed though one would have to question how any girl falsely accused of stealing a few francs from the till would be so scared to return to France and face a few francs fine. Having framed the pigeon (Odile Versois) Herbert Lom and Brenda de Banzie need a work permit for her and that's where taxi driver Eddie Constantine comes in. Also 'befriended' by Lom he is persuaded to go through a marriage of convenience with Versois who is then whisked away. Then, in a completely unexplained and inexplicable turnabout Constantine begins to worry about Versois and attempts to track her down. From then on it's just another guy looking for a girl and building to a climax straight out of Hue and Cry except for kids read cabbies. Enjoyable tosh with sightings of Lana Morris, Joan Collins and Michael Caine.

Hilariously dated expose

[porkoe · 26 July 2002]

This film is a wonderful summary of hypocritical late fifties cinema. Purporting to reveal the sordid life of the prostitute but revelling in the sleaze and violence. From the opening lecture from *Fabian * of the Yard, to a climactic roof fight, every cliche about girls on the game is flung at the viewer. Poor Diana Dors and Herbert Lom try, but are done in by the florid script and dull direction. Spot Michael Caine in a bit part at the wedding.

Deserves to be made a camp classic.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 25 July 2022]

If not just for the ridiculously jazzy score and the nightmare that Odile Versois has, falling into a Dante's Inferno like pit of very sexy men, then confronted by one of those lovers whom she's framed for killing. Versois is fooled into becoming companion to the seemingly kind and sophisticated Brenda DeBanzie, ending up an intended high priced call girl for the outwardly gentle but genuinely evil Herbert Lom, aided by veteran "entertainer" Diana Dors ("who entertains").

Dors has a sister brutally disfigured by Lom who dropped drips of acid on her face which is used to try to keep Versois in line. Not really nice people, as evidenced by the first scene with DeBanzie where she frames Versois for stealing money from a cash register. Eddie Constantine plays her genuine rescuer, risking his health by protecting her Unfortunately, Versois has a voice that shatters glass and after a while is rather irritating. See if you can spot Jackie Collins, Michael Caine and Margaret Tyzack in small parts. Great roles for Lom, Dors and DeBanzie, with the big-hearted character played by Dors a great femme fatale and the other two terrific villains. Lots of fun.

Murky drama with a superb climax

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 27 July 2020]

PASSPORT TO SHAME is a fine little British thriller shining a light on the murky world of prostitution, with Herbert Lom at his sleaziest playing the film's antagonist, a pimp who keeps the girls in his care in an iron grip. Up against him is cult icon Eddie Constantine, bringing a lot of charm to the picture, and Robert Brown, a lot of fun in a two-fisted supporting part. Much of the attention goes to the glamorous Diana Dors as one of the girls. The film does well with the thriller aspects, although it's a potboiler for part of the running time; the best part is the lavish extended climax which brings together large-scale action, pyrotechnics and some high-rise stunts for superb effect.

Just in case you thought sex - trafficking and illegal marriages were a........

[ianlouisiana · 8/10 · 7 February 2018]

...recent phenomenon encouraged by the freedom of movement amongst EU citizens(or even instigated by it)"Passport to shame" will reassure you that bad men and women have always found the ways and means to give the public whatever it desires - at a price. Sixty years ago behind the curtains of the dirty book shops, members' clubs and private cinemas in Soho the dubious delights of commercial sex were available to anybody brave or desperate enough to seek it out. Pimping is not known as "The second oldest profession" for nothing. Offering so - called "protection" for sex workers for a high percentage of their earnings but in reality dealing in extreme violence and intimidation to keep their charges in line, pimps are loathed and feared in equal measure. Coppers certainly hate them. I met plenty of villains I was happy to have a drink with but I never met a pimp who I didn't want to smack around then put in a cell for a very long time. Unfortunately the latter at least didn't happen very often as evidence was hard to come by in such a climate of fear. Mr Herbert Lom,a charming and urbane man in real life plays a capo di tutti capo pimp as to the manner born. Ably assisted by Miss Brenda de Banzie as his little helper he "recruits" young girls onto the streets. Unfortunately for them their efforts at procuring incur the wrath of Mr Eddie Constantine (often used when relative exotica required) and Mr Robert Brown(hopefully no relation to William Brown,but one never knows) and in a pre Minicab London the black cab drivers make it their business to interfere with Mr Lom's business and put him out of it. "I had that Jack Spot in my cab the other day" I waited hopefully for one to say. Miss Diana Dors was sufficiently familiar with London low - life to give her role an edge of authenticity. You may find it under it's nom de movie "Room 43"on one of the more esoteric Freeview channels. Do watch it,I promise you won't regret it.

Somewhat Lurid & Somewhat Straight Telling of Prostitutes & Pimps In 50's London

[LeonLouisRicci · 7/10 · 24 November 2022]

AKA..."Passport to Shame"

More Melodrama than Usual in this "Sexploitation" Cinema, Complete with the "Worn-Out" Intro by Law Enforcement (Fabian of the Yard), Making Sure Everyone Takes This as a "Public Service" and Not Something for the "Raincoat" Crowd.

Sporting a Good Cast of Herbert Lom (the Dapper Pimp), Eddie Constantine (the White Knight), and Diana Dors (Tart with a Heart).

Diana's White Skin-Tight-Clinging Dresses, Cotton-Candy Platinum Hair and Full-Lipped Makeup, High-Light the Eye-Popping Cheesecake. She Always Added some Acting-Chops.

Herbert Lom is All-Business, that being the Business of "White-Slavery-Trafficking", who Speaks in Threatening Mono-Tone, as He Frequently Steps-Aside and His Thugs Pummel Anything in His Way.

He is Also Not Above Sprinkling Acid on a Pretty-Face who Doesn't Cooperate.

Cult B-Actor Constantine is the "Love-Interest" Hunk that Rescues Oldile Versois, a French Immigrant being Groomed for the "Big-Spenders".

There's a Surreal "Drug-Induced" Segment with Swirling Fog, Collapsing Sets, Filled with High-Decibel Screams, as Hammer's William Asher, with the Help of Nicholas Roeg On Hand for some Stunning Camera-Work.

Overall, a bit Dense and Drawn-Out, and the Cab-Calvary to the Rescue is Over-the-Top.

More Intriguing than it Should be, it Remains an Above Average Film of its Type and it Definitely...

Worth a Watch.

Where to guv

[malcolmgsw · 5/10 · 20 July 2020]

For some reason,Eddie Consadine,an American actor,popular on the continent was chosen as the male lead who is a taxi driver.So bang goes any hope of authenticity Herbert Lom does his best,whilst Diana Dors looks glamorous.However they cant save this undistinguished film from mediocrity.

Classic Movie starring Diana Dors!

[arrival · 10/10 · 10 April 2007]

Gritty and hard-hitting story starring Diana Dors, dealing with the profession of prostitution.

An unusual Film - Taxi Drivers versus the Pimps! One of Diana Dors' biggest Movies and most dramatic performances of her career during the fifties - co-starring Herbert Lom as the cowardly Pimp who comes to a sticky end.

Dors plays a reluctant prostitute, but life takes a turn for the better after she witnesses her kid sister destroyed by the profession - along with the involvement of a new 'recruit' whose fate mirrors that of her tragic sister. Vicky (Dors) gets her revenge on Nick (Lom) when the whole operation is blown apart by a group of meddling Taxi Drivers.

This Film may seem a little confusing at the beginning, but stick with it - you'll be glad that you did! It's an exciting and dramatic story - fast-paced with a great climax at the end, and includes some dramatic moments along the way. Brenda de Banzie gives a chilling portrayal of the woman with the 'twin' personality. Eddie Constantine plays the hero in this with solid determination. After seeing this Movie, it will leave the Viewer with the question; is there really such wonderful and heroic guys as Johnny McVey? The world could certainly do with a few of them!

Look out for a young Joan Sims and an early brief appearance of Ann Reid (Coronation Street) plus Michael Caine!

Great Film and long overdue for Video and DVD release.

Better than you'd expect.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 24 November 2022]

For some reason, "Passport to Shame" was renamed "Room 43"...a rather boring title which says little about the film. It's original title was more fitting, as it's about the prostitution business...and the scum who take decent people and destroy them.

The film starts off with an introduction by some guy from Scotland Yard. Unlike most introductions, this one was pretty effective and less preachy as you'd expect. What follows is a story about some evil people who 'befriend' people and get them pulled into their dirty businesses. In one case, the pimp (Herbert Lom) arranges for an accident and then acts like some sort of hero coming to the poor cab driver's assistance. In another, they frame a woman for theft, even though she is quite innocent...as well as being incredibly naive. Fortunately, the cab driver is a decent guy and his friends try to break up this slavery ring.

Generally, this is a very well made exposé sort of movie. My only quibble was the scene where the scum drugged the naive girl. They gave her what was likely a marijuana cigarette and she reacted as if she was given LSD! Back in the 50s, folks believed this sort of thing...though the effects of pot are not at all what you see in the film. Apart from this and the silly dream sequence that follows, the movie is exciting and well worth seeing...and isn't just some sleazy exploitation flick. Another problem are the cabbies...who NEVER think about contacting the police about the criminals! That's odd to say the least! A couple standout actors are Herbert Lom, who was great at playing cold, evil people. Also Diana Dors was surprisingly good as the experienced call girl who, down deep, wasn't trash.

By the way, if you do watch, there's a funny goof at the end. As Johnny is hanging from a burning building, a fireman on a ladder tries to rescue him. In one shot, you see a bare arm reaching for the fireman...and in the next, Johnny clearly is wearing a long sleeve shirt and jacket.

What a wonderful surprise!

[christopher-underwood · 8/10 · 18 June 2020]

What a wonderful surprise! I was hopeful but not particularly expectant of good things here but it seemed worth a look with a warning preface from 'Fabian of the Yard', a starring role for Herbert Lom and appearances from Diana Dors and Eddie Constantine. In the event this turns out very well, nothing like as scandalous today as it would have been back in the late 50s but still fairly tough and uncompromising. Constantine, a veteran of 'B' pictures whose real claim to fame would come a few years later when Goddard would utilise his rugged looks in Alphaville plays an heroic taxi cab driver against Herbert Lom who plays the baddest of men in charge of a vice ring. Both men are particularly effective and the film, directed and lit like a noir, serves them both well. Also served well is Diana Does, her magnificent full on appearance at the start and the comment about belonging in the gutter as she smiles makes it see she may be limited to this wondrous cameo but no, she puts in a great performance throughout, the seeming excess of make-up probably more down to the fantastic clarity of the new Blu-ray. Vivid but hard to identify west London location predominate with most seeming in the Bayswater area. There is one particular scene, very unusual in British films, showing a whole area of a smart looking street with numerous ladies of the night arranged about and approaching passers by and a close-up of an ultra smart looking Whiteleys of Queensway. The seeming romantic interludes are probably a little overdone but from start to finish this is a fast moving and, if not as exploitative as suggested, certainly more lurid than might have been expected for a 60+ year old film shot on the streets of London and Walton on Thames.

Dors rhymes with ...

[mls4182 · 9/10 · 27 November 2021]

Diana Dors was stunning. Tight sheath dresses, a pretty face and cotton white hair. She didn't have to act. All she had to do is show up with an attitude, "I am here. Be grateful."

The movie doesn't need a plot. You'll be too busy staring at Diana and wondering how she got a comb through that dry, bleached hair.

She plays an entertainer.

"What does an entertainer do?" "I entertain."

I'm giving it a 9 for Diana Dors

[lucyrf · 9/10 · 26 May 2020]

Pretty Odile Versois is recruited from France by madame Brenda de Banzie (excellent). Vicki (Diana Dors) is given the job of persuading Odile to join her on the streets of London. Gang boss Herbert Lom wants to save Odile for "special" clients - and himself.

OK, Odile is pretty, but... It is a movie convention that certain women can drive a man wild with desire (a line quoted ironically by Liza Minellli in Cabaret). Does this really happen?

All the prostitutes are rather chunky, and sport a look that would be swept away by Twiggy in less than ten years. But their pencil skirts and figure-hugging tops are far more stylish than the high fashion of the time, which seemed deliberately frumpy. I hope box pleats, sack dresses and bucket hats never come back.

Diana Dors gives her usual excellent performance as a girl who really would drive men wild. Everything about her is exaggerated: her curves, her lips, her skin-tight clothes. At the same time it is clear that she really does have a heart and a mind. There is a revealing exchange early on where she reads the cards for Brenda, who is always searching the small ads for a respectable widower.

The plot is melodramatic. To gain residency, Odile contracts a sham marriage with a cab driver who owes Lom a favour, but the two fall in love. I find this more convincing than the "drive men wild" trope. It also means that there is a willing army of cab drivers to bust open the vice den and rescue the girls. One of them even walks away with Vicki.

Joan Sims adds sparkle as a radio cab controller, Marget Tyzack is the secretary of the mob's enjoyably sleazy lawyer, and Lana Morris has a cameo as a chirpy lady of the night.

Hello Dearie!

[richardchatten · 10/10 · 7 December 2020]

An incredible piece of social history lit in gothic black & white by Hammer maestro Jack Asher anticipating how Christine Keeler and Mandy Rice-Davies started a couple of years later. Following an introduction from behind a desk by Fabian of the Yard sternly warning us that it deals frankly with a pressing social evil, Ken Jones' trashy jazz score kicks in and the fun starts as weary old procuress Brenda De Banzie and jaded pro Diana Dors draw innocent young Odile Versois into Herbert Lom's web of sin (including a marijuana-induced dream sequence worthy of silent DeMille) in order to pay for his Saville Row suits.

It's probably just coincidence that the finale resembles Ken Loach's 'Looking for Eric' fifty years later. And director Alvin Rakoff carelessly permits an egregious line misreading by Joan Sims, who combines into one sentence the second and third sentences of what was evidently meant to be delivered as "Are you kidding? With Mike there? He'd sooner fight than have his breakfast!"

But compared to the sort of thing camera operator 'Nick' Roeg was directing a quarter of a century later it all seems positively decorous.

old film better than new films for exposing vice

[cxszf · 9/10 · 27 December 2021]

This old movie is incredibly current .... more relevant now to what goes on in london now than it was when it was made. There are no modern movies that show the intricacies of how these people work better than this marvellous old movie...