We all know Ealing films, but ever heard of Ealing Noir? No, me neither, but this 1958 drama is just that. Described as the least Ealing film Ealing ever made’, it’s a London-set dark thriller that looks great, has top performances and lots of interest.
It’s the first film written by famous theatre critic Kenneth Tynan, the man who discovered Laurence Olivier and wrote Oh Calcutta. It also features the film debut of one Maggie Smith now whatever happened to her?
It opens with a remarkable 10-minute jailbreak in which not a single word is uttered. The result is that Paul Gregory (Nader) is on the loose, and he holes up at the empty flat of a friend. The story then flashes back five years, when it’s revealed Gregory is a conman. He seduces an old American lady and steals her coin collection. He then sells it for £55,000, stashes the cash in a bank and waits to be arrested. His plan is to go to jail for five years, come out and live on the money.
However the judge gives him 10 years unwilling to wait that long he breaks out with the help of an accomplice. However, when he tries to get hold of the cash and flee the country it doesn’t prove easy. His only ally is the girlfriend of the man whose flat he is staying in, Bridget (Smith), who takes a shine to his good looks. Together they form an unlikely alliance, Bridget helping Gregory out while he’s on the run. It all ends up in the unlikely setting of a Welsh farmyard.
There are several things to recommend this serious addition to British noir. The London settings are superb, the streets glistening, Gregory permanently hunched into his coat to fend off the damp, the city has never looked so grey. Then there are the performances. Smith won a BAFTA for promising newcomer, proving that the British Academy does get it right sometimes. Nader is good as the classic noir hero, and there’s even Harry H Corbett as a thug.
The plot and outcome may not come as the biggest surprise to anyone who’s ever studied noir, but there are plenty of strong moments and it’s well-paced throughout. There’s one remarkable scene when Gregory is prising cash out of a reputable antique dealer only for his hand to bleed through his glove. The secretary alerts him for apparently no other reason than female lust. In fact the film generally has a forward-looking attitude to its female characters.
Gratifyingly the film has been restored to its original 100-minute version. It was cut in the 1950s to squeeze it into a double bill by MGM.
Overall verdict: Fascinating noir thriller with plenty to hold the interest, not least Maggie Smith’s film debut. Director Holt never hit such heights again, becoming best known for Hammer films and The Nanny.
Special Features:
Featurette
Reviewer: Mike Martin