Penny Gold

Jack Cardiff is an academy award winning cinematographer (for 1947's "Black Narcissus") but is an uneven director (Though his 1960 film "Sons and Lovers" garnered him an Oscar nomination). In this film, he moves away from the viewfinder of the camera and into the seat of the director's chair.

The DVD Cover provides this synopsis for the film: This dramatic indie thriller, set in the intriguing world of high-stakes stamp collectors, is directed by acclaimed British cinematographer Jack Cardiff. A detective (James Booth) is assigned to investigate the murder of a young woman, whose body is found in the shadow of Windsor castle. In the course of his inquiry, he stumbles onto a plot to steal a rare and valuable stamp called the Penny Gold--and encounters a woman who appears to be the dead girl's lovely but dangerous evil twin (Francesca Annis).

This description paints the film in a better light than it actually is, which is obvious since it comes from those trying to market the picture on DVD.The film's narrative has the quality of something one may see on a made-for-TV program rather than something one would consider "theatrical." While the set up and initially beginnings of the mystery are captivating, the rest of the film is dreadfully dull and uninteresting. The story is totally unfocused as we are presented with scenes, such as random flashbacks, that seem totally out of place and irrelevant.

The mystery itself is not at all that mysterious as the audience can predict its outcome from the very beginning and thus makes the film a big build up to nothing.

There are a few good traits, such as the wonderful location shots of Windsor Castle and the surrounding rural areas (courtesy of Mr. Cardiff), and a well-photographed car chase (which, unfortunately, seems out of place).

The DVD was a blind buy given its cheap price of merely $4 (most online DVD stores carry it between $4-$6), but I certainly wouldn't pay a cent more. The film, admittedly, is attractive at that price but it is suggested you save up your money for more quality films.

Not recommended except those who are fans of Jack Cardiff or those who don't mind squandering $5 to add a title to your collection.

It's a British murder mystery movie. It's not bad, though it's also not great; it tells a good story, though without being particularly engaging. Though modestly satisfying, the content feels less grabbing and noteworthy than the basics of the film's craft. Filming locations are fine and fetching, and set design and decoration no less so. I appreciate Jack Cardiff's direction, his keen eye for arranging shots and scenes, and for that matter the scene writing contributes a suitable level of tension and mystery to any given moment. I think the cast is fairly solid - yet with that having been said, what stands out the most to me about 'Penny Gold' is the appearance of Francesca Annis. Beautiful, smart, and charming in her own right, Annis is given an opportunity to demonstrate welcome range and nuance, not least of all for rather having two roles here instead of just one. If there is a singular reason to watch this feature, Annis is it, as her performance is frankly commanding.

I'm divided on John Scott's score, as some themes seem very fitting for the mood of a given scene, while in many other instances it's overly playful - for example, during the opening credits, as police examine and move the body of a murder victim. Characters are given just enough personality and varied motivations to feel real, and breathe some life into the narrative. I think the movie is well made - and, happily, in the last third of the length a spark of thrilling vigor is summoned that revitalizes the picture, constituting all the terrific value that 'Penny Gold' has to offer. This last stretch, leading into the climax and ending, is sharp and brilliant, and significantly boosts my overall opinion. I just wish that the rest of the feature were so absorbing, for the first two-thirds just don't make much of an impression. The result is that the title feels uneven; it's enjoyable, but just not quite as stimulating a cinematic experience as one would hope.

Recommendable above all for utmost fans of the cast, or of British murder mysteries, there's nothing so dazzling about this as to make it an essential must-see. It's not that there's any one specific fault about it - although the very, very end is a tad contrived - only that too much of the runtime passes by without actively getting one's attention. Still, when all is said and done it's ultimately entertaining, and worthwhile on its merits. You don't need to go out of your way for 'Penny Gold,' but if you happen upon it, it's a decent way to spend 90 minutes.

The historic riverside town of Windsor, home to the Royal Family, is a popular setting for British films, something due less to its Royal connections than to its closeness to Pinewood Studios. Two other films from the early seventies filmed in the area were "The Road Builder" and "No Sex Please, We're British".

"Penny Gold" is a murder mystery set in the town. A young woman named Diane, the owner of a local boutique, is brutally bludgeoned to death by an intruder in her flat. Her face is so disfigured that she is virtually unrecognisable, but the body is identified by her identical twin sister Delphi. Inspector Matthews of the CID is tasked with investigating the murder and soon realises that matters might be more complicated than they appear at first sight. Diane's killing appears to be linked to a plot to steal a valuable postage stamp, the "Penny Gold" of the title; Delphi works for a firm of stamp dealers owned by the sisters' stepfather.

As another reviewer has pointed out, the seventies were not the most distinguished decade in the history of the British cinema. When they weren't making tacky sex comedies or kitschy horror flicks, British film-makers of the period were often trying to repeat successes of the past, and "Penny Gold" is a crime drama of the sort which could easily have been made ten or even twenty years earlier (although in the fifties or sixties it would probably have been in black-and-white rather than colour). I was reminded in some respects of "Town on Trial", a film noir from 1957 which also deals with the murder of a young woman in a Home Counties town.

"Penny Gold" is not altogether a bad film; there is an ingenious twist which provides Matthews with the solution to the mystery. (At least, it probably seemed ingenious in 1973 before twist endings became overfamiliar through overuse in the eighties and nineties). It is not, however, a film which really stays in the mind and has no acting contributions of any great note, even though it starred some well-known faces. I would not rate it as highly as something like "Town on Trial" which was not only a crime drama but which also made some pertinent points about the complacency and hypocrisy of the English middle classes. 5/10.

Despite obviousness of many plot elements within this work directed by renowned cinematographer Jack Cardiff, it is quite possible to enjoy the film for its merits that include expected polished camera-work and lighting, but also superlative design, plainly a result of competent research, and atmospheric settings about Windsor Castle, to the benefit of a somewhat unfocused crime melodrama involving murder in the normally staid world of philately. Action opens in a flat close by the Castle with a young woman, fresh from a shower, being bludgeoned to death, over two dozen blows to the face making her corpse essentially unrecognizable, and when Detective Inspector Matthews (James Booth) launches an investigation he learns that the deceased was one of a pair of decorative and identical twins, performed by Francesca Annis, the surviving sister, Delphi, employed by their guardian, a prominent stamp collector, with the titular item, a piece of enormous value, being target of a plot to steal it, this somehow connected with the homicide. Filmed at London's Pinewood Studios complex and on location in the vicinity of Windsor Castle, including the House on the Bridge Restaurant atop Windsor Bridge, the windows of which offer an agreeable view of the Royal edifice (enjoyed here at lunch by Matthews and Delphi), the film suffers from credibility factors and an oddly structured use of flashbacks, but a John Scott score is reasonably effective (there is a seamless inclusion of police sirens!), and Cardiff leads his players well. There is not a weak portrayal from among the cast, with even the monochromatic Annis being largely believable, Booth and Nicky Henson providing strong turns as the case investigators; Joss Ackland gains acting honours as Jones, supervising police official in the matter.

This could have been made at Merton Park ten years earlier, but for it being in colour, the graphic description of the injuries suffered by the murder victim and the annoying 70's-style music score by John Scott. Several other reviewers have commented on the fact that it is possible to see the final 'twist' coming almost as soon as the credits are over; although part of the fun is working out the 'how' and 'why' since the 'what' is already so obvious.

Shot in wintry London locations (particularly at and around Windsor), it's attractive to look at; but considering that it was directed by Britain's top Technicolor cameraman of the forties & fifties, it's constant reliance on zooms comes as a letdown.