Das Schmugglerschiff

Gloriously dated five part serial, starring Anthony Newley in his first big role. Its all here, smugglers, hidden gems, "get the kid", cliffhangers et all! Even at this young age you can see the start of the enormous talent of Anthony Newley, a much under-rated actor/singer/entertainer in Britain, who was more appreciated in the USA. This is British cinema of the day, not always the best but keeping the industry rolling. Very rare now but for historians and film buffs an interesting treat! Paul Goodhead - President of The Anthony Newley Appreciation Society.

Great to see Anthony Newley's film debut in this dated, but so appealing, British serial. Watching it now, it's clunky and outmoded, but enormously appealing and quaint. After a slowish opening episode, the action does pick up and the chase sequences, cliffhanging finales and brisk dialogue all add to the charm of the piece. In a similar way to Richard Attenborough's portrayal as "The Guinea Pig," the three actors playing the lead roles, as the children, are obviously older than their characters in the film, which all adds to the novelty value. It is also clear to see the obvious potential of the versatile and under-rated Anthony Newley, who went on to have a great career as an actor and singer. The movie is a total rarity these days, but is well worth seeing if the chance arises.