Soho Incident

Director Vernon Sewell, about whom I am embarrassingly ignorant, does pull off a good job with this British B noir picture entitled originally SPIN A DARK WEB (SOHO INCIDENT in the US circuit).

Some weaknesses notwithstanding, the script by Ian Black is solid. I had found it difficult to believe that Rona Anderson's highly fit boxeur brother died after getting hit over the head with a small and flexible police baton, just as I could not see the need for Rico Francesi to bump off McLeod, who had been absent from the screen for some 60', when they had more pressing matters to attend to. On the positive end, we get to listen to some sharp dialogue, conveyed mainly by deceitfully evil femme fatale Domergue in contrast with upstanding Lee Patterson.

I feel that stunningly beautiful Rona Anderson was given a far smaller part than she deserved, the same going for Peter Burton in the role of Inspector Collis.

As was the habit in British B pics of the 1950s, foreign nationals get the male and female leads (Domergue a US citizen, Patterson Canadian). Cinematography is good enough for the film's purposes, but I have seen better in other Brit B pics.

Very catchy tune entitled "Love me, love me now" sung by Julie Dawn.

All told, a fun 76 minutes with some gripping action and repartee.

When this film was made Soho had a rather seedy reputation.Gangs running protection rackets,illegal gambling and drink clubs,prostitution and strip clubs.Soho had it all.Most though not all of this has gone.Nowdays it is full of trendy restaurants and clubs.So the most interesting aspect of this otherwise uninspired and derivative thriller are the location shots.The credit titles,open over the Casino Cinema,now Prince Edward Theatre,showing "This Is Cinerama".I was taken to see this and saw it again a couple of years ago at The National Media Museum in Bradford.Very spectacular.We then follow Patterson around the streets at night.Next we see him coming out of a building in Soho Square which i believe is where the BBFC is now situated.Finally we get shots of Patterson walking through the famous Berwick Street market.The strange thing about the plot is Patterson is supposed to be a boxer,but he suddenly becomes a telephone engineer without explanation.The plot is predictable enlivened only by the oily boss splendidly portrayed by the marvelous Martin Benson,who keeps on complaining about the food he is served.

One is to see how bad Faye Domerogue is acting and two to see 26 year old Lee Patterson in all his handsome glory.

The rest is a typical B gangster film with a frigid femme fatale.

A boxer fails to take a dive as promised. Fight promoter Martin Benson sends Lee Patterson to warn him --nicely. The fighter knocks Patterson down, who kills him in reply. Now Patterson is on the run, and wants Benson to protect him.... and he knows all the angles.

It's a nice, dirty little movie, well directed by Vernon Sewall, with an unusual take on the sort of dirty boxing promoters who look upon the whole operation as the entertainment business, and who want things to run smoothly. I can't help but think it's all a metaphor for the movie business under the Studio System, with the managers trying to run a nicely packaged system, and the talent they so depend on always bollixing things up, leaving the bosses to fix things without anyone getting hurt. Anyone else, that is. There are some nice performances by Faith Domergue as Benson's bloodthirsty wife, and some familiar performers, like Sam Kydd amd Bernard Fox (in his screen debut), further down the cast list.

This was an interesting little British crime film that starred both an American actress and a Canadian actor, which I guess was common at the time.

The story is about Canadian Jim Bankley who while training at a British boxing gym owned by Tom Walker he befriends Tom's two children, Bill and Betty. Bill is a promising boxer at the ring and unbeknownst to Jim is asked by a local mobster to take a dive in the ring which he doesn't do.

Meanwhile Jim who hasn't been successful is looking for work and his fellow Canadian, Buddy. He finds Buddy who gets him a job with his employer the local mobster Rico Francesi...only it's not really Buddy or Rico that gets Jim hired, it's Rico's sister Bella. Bella takes a shine to Jim and wants him moved up the paces.

Bottom-line is Jim is a good guy (I.e. He may be ok with tapping phone lines to fix betting on horses at the track, but he is not ok with murder), so when Bill ends up dead at the hands of one of Rico's goons and Jim finds out about it he wants out. Only then does he discover how blood thirsty Bella really is.

Good action, interesting story...but the best part of this film is really the 1950's sidewalk/street scenes in England...fresh market, neon signs, liquor store, etc. GGreat, great footage and for me the best part of this film. A noir buff might enjoy this film..and those with curiosity like me.