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THE INFORMERS Aka UNDERWORLD INFORMERS (Dir: Ken Annakin, 1963).
THE INFORMERS aka UNDERWORLD INFORMERS (Dir: Ken Annakin, 1963).
Based upon Douglas Warner's novel Death of a Snout. The Informers, released in the US as Underworld Informers is a police procedural drama shot in a quasi-realist style.
Chief Inspector 'Johnno' (Nigel Patrick) investigates the murder of an underworld informer or 'snout' (John Cowley) linked to a series of bank robberies masterminded by gangsters Bertie Hoyle (Derren Nesbitt) and Leon Sale (Frank Finlay). Hot on the their trail, the hoods set 'Johnno' up so as to appear to have accepted a bribe. On suspension, he takes the law into his own hands and with the help of Ruskin's brother sets to bring the gang to justice.
Ken Annakin was a talented filmmaker, prolific in his time but vastly underrated today. With The Informers he delivers a crime drama which, 56 years after release, still feels uncompromisingly gritty.
Standouts among the cast are the distinctively voiced Nigel Patrick as the wronged 'Johnno' and Harry Andrews as his tough superintendent. Derren Nesbitt makes for a thoroughly unpleasant bad guy, while impressing further down the cast is Colin Blakely as the brother of the murdered snout.
The movie can be seen as something of a ‘missing link’ between the depiction of the friendly copper of TVs Dixon of Dock Green (1955 -76) and the more complex characterisation of the police force in The Sweeney (1974-78). Indeed, it seems ahead of its time in its depiction of the police and their relationship with the criminal underworld. It benefits from use of London locations from the banks of the Thames to backstreet Soho dives, shot in crisp black and white by cinematographer Reginald Wyer.
Some of the characters in Alun Falconer and Paul Durst's screenplay do border on stereotypes, while the climatic big punch up between good(ish) guys and the bad guys verges on the comic, but overall this is still fairly hard-hitting stuff.
With some stylish direction from Annakin and a quality cast The Informers is a solidly entertaining, if occasionally nasty, gangland thriller.
Visit my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME for a longer, more in-depth review of The Informers. Link below.
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FATHER BROWN aka THE DETECTIVE (Dir: Robert Hamer, 1954).
The second big screen outing for G K Chesterton's fictional detective Father Brown, adapted from his 1910 short story The Blue Cross.
Roman Catholic priest and amateur detective Father Brown (Alec Guinness) pits his wits against elusive master criminal Flambeau (Peter Finch), intent on stealing a priceless cross from the clergyman.
Originally exhibited in the UK as Father Brown, the movie is now more widely available in prints bearing its US title The Detective. A glance at Father Brown’ s cast and crew and one would be forgiven for thinking this Columbia Pictures release was an Ealing Studios production. Director Hamer is reunited with his Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) stars Alec Guinness and Joan Greenwood, whilst Ealing alumni Peter Finch, Bernard Lee, Sidney James and Cecil Parker all feature. However, any similarity between this lightly humorous detective story and an Ealing comedy ends here.
Languishing part way between comedy and mystery, the movie straddles both genres without a firm footing in either. Never reaching the witty heights of Kind Hearts and Coronets and not quite exciting enough to convince as a thriller. It ambles along nicely enough but lacks the narrative twists and turns that would have elevated the story above the mundane. Thelma Schnee and Hamer's screenplay never quite manages to over come the source material's inherent quaintness and at times threatens to become unbearably twee.
Alec Guinness is excellent as ever here, once again immersing himself chameleon like in the role of Brown. He is matched by the equally impressive Finch in a rare comedic performance for the actor, albeit not one especially played for big laughs. The rest of cast are, unfortunately, somewhat underused in what is largely a two-hander between Guinness and Finch.
Father Brown is good movie, but can't help but feel a little bit of a disappointment considering the talent involved. It is still worth a watch, if only for the excellent performances from its leading men. Not quite a classic, but a high quality time passer nonetheless.
Check out my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME for a longer review of Father Brown. Link below.
THE SHAGGY D.A. (Dir: Robert Stevenson, 1976).
This kooky canine comedy from Walt Disney Productions was the belated sequel to hit The Shaggy Dog (Charles Barton, 1959).
Following on from the events of the original movie, now adult Wilby Daniels is now a successful lawyer, his dog morphing days behind him. However, the ancient cursed ring which turned him into a Bratislavian Sheepdog has been stolen from a local museum by some crooks in the pay of unscrupulous politician 'Honest' John Slade. With incredibly unfortunate timing, this occurs just as Daniels is about to run against Slade in a local election for the position of District Attorney. Daniels must run his campaign and try to get the ring back from Slade, whilst proving him corrupt. All the time running the risk of inadvertently turning into a sheepdog!
Replacing Tommy Kirk in role of Wilby Daniels from the original movie is Disney regular Dean Jones. Jones is appealing as ever, displaying his considerable talent for quirky comedy. Reunited with Jones in their 3rd film together is the equally appealing Suzanne Pleshette. With less to do than Jones, she still makes a good impression as the understanding Mrs Daniels.
Don Tait's screenplay, suggested by the Felix Salten novel The Hound of Florence, is his 5th screenplay for the studio and adheres rigidly to the cookie cutter approach adopted by Disney in this era. True to form, we have some broad slapstick humour, the inevitable car chase and the expected police car pile up. All achieved by some unconvincing back projection. Director Robert Stevenson had a 20 year association with the studio and this was to be his last feature before retiring. Responsible for classics such as Old Yeller (1957) and Mary Poppins (1964), The Shaggy D.A. must be regarded as one of his lesser works.
Still, I enjoyed this film as a child and get a nostalgic kick out of it as an adult. It doesn't quite live up to the weird and wonderful original but is certainly worth a watch if you like this sort of thing. Not quite Best in Show then, but a likeable mutt of a movie nonetheless.
Visit my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME for a longer, more in-depth review of The Shaggy D.A. Link below.
THE LAVENDER HILL MOB (Dir: Charles Crichton, 1951).
A classic comedy from the golden age of the Ealing Studios.
Mild mannered bank clerk 'Dutch Holland' (Alec Guinness) concocts a daring gold bullion robbery. Engaging the help of souvenir maker Al Pendlebury (Stanley Holloway) they execute the crime and disguise the gold in the form of miniature Eiffel Towers. However, things do not go to plan when a casement of the souvenirs is accidentally opened and sold to group of British schoolgirls.
Released the same year as The Man in the White Suit (Alexander Mackendrick), The Lavender Hill Mob is less satirical, but equally humorous as it gleefully sends up Ealing’s own popular crime dramas such as The Blue Lamp (Basil Dearden, 1951) and Pool of London (Basil Dearden, 1951). Director Charles Crichton effortlessly apes the quasi-documentary realist approach of those movies. The heist itself is as thrilling as it is humorous and makes excellent use of its real life London backstreets and warehouse locales. Crichton also manages to out Hitchcock Hitchcock with a vertigo inducing sequence which sees Guinness and Holloway make a dizzying descent down the steps of the Eiffel Tower. Significantly for a British film of the era, it was rewarded by the American Academy, winning the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for TEB Clarke’s excellent script.
As the criminal mastermind with the meek exterior, Guinness delivers another excellent performance; eliciting audience sympathy for a character which could have easily evoked apathy. Stanley Holloway is equally effective in the less showy role of co-conspirator. They make for a winning comedy team here, ably supported by Sidney James and Alfie Bass as fellow Mob members.
The Lavender Hill Mob made more impact internationally than any other Ealing film. Its theme of longing to escape from day to day drudgery is clearly a universal one. Like the best of the Ealing comedies it has hardly dated, despite its obvious post-War trappings.
Excelling in all areas: writing, directing and acting, The Lavender Hill Mob is another Ealing masterpiece.
Check out my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME for a longer, more in-depth review of The Lavender Hill Mob! Link below.
Happy 91st birthday to my favourite movie star, Mickey Mouse!
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VICEROY’S HOUSE (Dir: Gurinder Chadha, 2017).
Viceroy’s House is a fact based drama detailing the events surrounding the Partition of India from British born Indian director Gurinder Chadha.
Set in 1947 Delhi during the dissolution of the British Raj. As the last Viceroy of India, Lord Louis Mountbatten (Hugh Bonneville) is to oversee the transition from British rule to Independence. India is a country divided, between those who wish the independent nation to remain intact and those who wish to establish the separate Muslim country Pakistan. Against this backdrop is the Romeo and Juliet-esq tale of Jeet (Manish Dayal) and Alia (Huma Qureshi) whose love is thwarted as he is Hindu and she is Muslim.
The Partition of India was a bloody mess at the hands of the UK government. As the film's postscript informs us "14 million people were displaced and one million Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs died". It is a dark episode in 20th Century British history rarely spoken of in the UK. For this reason, Viceroy's House is a difficult film to criticise, as it relays such an important story. Perhaps it can only be faulted for not depicting how truly horrific it was.
Hugh Bonneville is very effective as the beleaguered Mountbatten faced with the thankless and controversial task of dividing India. He is surrounded by a quality supporting cast of acting legends including Gillian Anderson, Michael Gambon, Om Puri and Simon Callow. As the star-crossed young lovers Manish Dayal and Huma Qureshi are both touching and appealing.
Director Gurinder Chadha is a talented filmmaker. Her feature is incredibly moving and made more powerful by the knowledge that it draws upon Chadha's own family history; her grandparents were among those displaced and her aunt starved to death on the migration.
It could be argued that Chadra's gentle approach to Partition does make a challenging subject more accessible for audiences. The fact that it addresses an issue largely untold in film is significant, however more palatable that issue has been made. The powerful tale may provide uncomfortable viewing for many, but do not let that dissuade you from watching this ultimately very moving film.
Check out my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME for a longer, more in-depth review of Viceroy’s House. Link below.