I enjoy a demanding supremely-acted fluently-directed movie with possibly a hint of Oscar reward as much as the next person. But last thing at night, I often prefer something that makes no demands at all except paying attention to a twisty narrative. And that’s where Talking Pictures TV comes in, with its string of low-budget crime pictures made by British indie outfit Renown.
The twist here is an unusual one. Gangster Mr Big, Sebastian “The Duke” Dukelow (George Pastell), alerted by girlfriend Melanie (Anita West), a cabaret singer in his nightclub, to the work of journalist Jack (Conrad Philips), determined to expose the crook, decides to put him out of the action. But not in the normal way of fitting him with a cement boot and dropping him in the Thames. Instead he frames him or a robbery and Jack ends up doing two years in jail, losing his job, but not girlfriend Diana (Linda Marlowe), in the process.
In prison he bonds with cellmate Charlie (John Rees), who holds a grievance against The Duke. When he hatches his own revenge plan, it appears Charlie is all in.
Or is he? Out of jail, Charlie has gone straight with a job in a refrigeration depot. Jack, meanwhile, has no job and festers away. Any chance Jack has of getting the best in a one-to-one confrontation with The Duke is knocked on the head when he realizes how closely guarded the crook is. So Jack makes do, in the meantime, with making The Duke jealous by dancing with Melanie.
And who’s side is Charlie on? Charlie approaches The Duke with a deal. In return for some cash, he will reveal Jack’s revenge plan.
So now the twist is in. Jack is lured by Charlie into the refrigeration plant where The Duke proceeds to lock him inside one of the units where he will conveniently freeze to death.
But will he? Not when Charlie, secretly pressing an array of control buttons, sets him free and they turn the tables on The Duke, sticking him inside the freezing compartments until he signs a confession releasing Jack of any involvement in the robbery. Meanwhile, as it happens, Jack and Charlie find a way to stitch up The Duke and his gang, ensuring they will be arrested for diamond smuggling, a crime of which they are entirely innocent.
Pretty much all narrative, but with well-drawn characters. You wouldn’t expect a well-heeled highly moral reporter like Jack, even if wrongfully convicted, to turn to crime himself. Nor, now unemployable, to make a living by placing stories sympathetic to The Duke in the newspapers.
And The Duke proves exceptionally savvy. To muddy the waters, he donates £1,000 to cover Jack’s legal fees and has all manner of highly sophisticated surveillance and protection devices to keep tabs on his empire.
The women, too, are well drawn. Melanie constantly pokes fun at her scary lover, and is not above making him jealous by coming close to smooching with Jack. And Hilda (Jean Trend), the editor’s ineffectual secretary, working her romantic way through the ranks of the reporters, knows that her legs ensure she will never be out of work. On the other hand Diana has relatively little to do dramatically.
Conrad Phillips (The Switch, 1963) and George Pastell (The Long Duel, 1967) enjoy an interesting duel. Anita West (Shadow of Treason, 1964) steals the acting honors ahead of Linda Marlow (The Big Zapper, 1973).
Directed by Peter Maxwell (Serena, 1962) from a screenplay concocted by himself and the star.
An easy late-night watch.
The Magnificent 60s 