The Switch

A typical British supporting feature of its day, with the classy Zena Marshall as the victim of a watch-smuggling racket. With the heroic figures of Anthony Steel, Dermot Walsh, and Conrad 'William Tell' Phillips on the case though, it's clear that the villains don't have much of a chance. Not as complicated as some of the contemporary Edgar Wallace movies but not lacking in some dry humour and very watchable. Steel was no longer a major star by now and Fifties leading lady, at least in 'B' pictures, Susan Shaw, has only a minor role as the Search Officer.

The Switch is a standard B feature but on the surface looks as if it should have so much more - a cast led by the trio of Anthony Steel (by now on the downslope of his briefly stellar career), Dermot Walsh (minus famous badger quiff) and Zena Marshall (fresh from cavorting with then spitting at Sean Connery in 'Dr No') - never really takes off.

Nevertheless, there are some nice touches- a 5 minute cameo from Jerry Desmonde, a 10 second cameo by Jimmy Hanley, a few minutes for Susan Shaw in (sadly), her last role, and a hilariously camp Peter Butterworth for a preciously short appearance, and at least two very nice Sunbeam Alpines (the first Bond car and one of several nods to 007). It also has to be mentioned in dispatches that Arnold Diamond is the least convincing Frenchman since 'Allo Allo'.

She plays the bit part of a search officer. She became a alcoholic on her way to an early death. Anthony Steel is on his own downward path. Even Jimmy Hanley has a beef camcameocameo. This otherwise a fairly standard if entertaining B feature of the type turned out in their dozens until the end of double bT.ills self their dom.

Once the mystery about why the same model of car keeps getting stolen is explained this becomes a rather flat and predictable crime story. Fans of b-movies like me will still find it worth watching though, even if only to see some familiar English stars of the 1950's whose careers by now were clearly on the downward slope.

John Curry gets mixed up with Carolyn Markham, who's targeted by a gang who have smuggled in a stash of watches.

A very enjoyable mystery, it put me in mind of The Edgar Wallace mysteries and The Frances Durbridge shows, it's along the same lines. It's a clever mystery, that moves along at a decent pace, and has several moments of intrigue.

What starts off as a seemingly ordinary crime, car theft, soon turns into something a whole lot more interesting, kidnap, assault, violence and murder.

That Alpine Sunbeam was one exquisite looking car, a time when Great Britain truly did manufacture the most exquisite cars.

I loved the visuals, the cars, the fashions, people and streets, you can't argue with the style of the 1960's.

Quality acting from a very reliable cast, Conrad Phillips, Bill Craddock and the excellent Zena Marshall.

Two amusing moments, Peter Butterworth's scene was very funny, I also chuckled seeing Jerry Desmonde, hard to take him seriously, buy a good actor Northerner.

7/10.