Dancing with Crime

Not much mystery here as the crime and perpetrator is known from the start so more of a how-will-they-catch-him than a who-dunnit. Still, there is charm in the setting: a dancehall where girls work to dance with patrons serves as a cover for the HQ of the local kingpin: an aristocratic yet particularly wily chap, who seems to smuggle gin and trade in 'surplus' goods, among other things. Innocents get swept up in the milieu and, though painted as too goody-goody, have a close brush with both the criminal and police world which toughens them up a bit. Barry K. Barnes plays the kingpin's chief henchman and delivers a subtle psychopathic gentleman killer vibe. There is some nice framing here and there, plus you get 1947 London, and its various pubs and characters , which helps sustain the film through its lulls (here and there), and the ending has its own minor twists. Other little highlights are scenes with Richard Attenborough and Diana Dors. I can't say it held my full attention 100% throughout but I am not regretful about having seen it - just 83 mins long! It's an alright movie if you are looking for a quite gentle noir in an unusual setting and a little but not too much excitement.

Compo from "Last of the Summer Wine" obviously loved the East End and probably made friends with Chas 'n' Dave. That's why I saw them play at Holmfirth. It was where Summer Wine was filmed – the friendship link is complete. Compo is an East end gangster in this film. He's short in stature and makes an unconvincing tough guy. He would have been flattened in his fight scene at the beginning of the film. The same goes for his ex-army buddy, Richard Attenborough (Ted), Again, this short person would have been flattened in both his fight scenes. The fights are badly staged and very fake.

There's a criminal gang running a dancehall and carrying out robberies and Dickie short-arse meddles in their affairs so he can get to the truth behind his pal Compo's demise. Guess what – he succeeds. Standard good guy v bad guy stuff. The most interesting moments of the film for me occur in the dancehall where Diana Dors hangs out. Singer and dancehall girl Judy Kelly (Toni) is the best of the cast. What is it with people cutting in on other men dancing with a girl by tapping them on the shoulder and stealing their girl away? No way! This would be disastrous and cause non-stop scuffling. I hear this was an American custom introduced in films. I can't believe this actually happened! Any info on this ludicrous concept would be greatly appreciated.

Ted Peters (Richard Attenborough) plays a London cab driver who finds a friend of his dead in the back of his cab in "Dancing with Crime" from 1947.

Dirk Bogarde and Diana Dors were in this film, but I didn't see them. They were both uncredited.

Ted's friend was involved in some shady dealings. Much of the activity is traced to a dance hall, run by Paul Baker (Barry K. Barnes), and Ted's girlfriend (Sheila Sim) takes a job there in order to spy. Of course, Ted is supposed to stay out of it and let the police do their job, but then, we wouldn't have a movie.

The problem is, the criminals think Ted knows too much and are after him. Is Joy's cover safe?

The best part was seeing Attenborough in the fight scenes - he was a small man, and the script had him throwing people over his head, kicking his feet into them from the ground, all sorts of things. He was like Superman.

Run of the mill melodrama, but I still enjoyed it.

Terrific to see the future Lord Attenborough in his cinematic infancy.

Add to its historical value the fact that it is an interesting story, well done by one and all that holds your attention from start to finish.

Convoluted plotting that is not so twisted that one gets lost in the minutia.

Reading the IMDb trivia explains the chemistry between the "boy and girl"... they were married in real life the and stayed married for decades.

Film is worth finding and checking out. I.

Worth it for the post-war background. The 50s "New Look" hadn't happened yet and all the girls have big hair and big shoulders - much more flattering than the 50s fashions that made everyone look middle-aged.

Richard Attenborough and Sheila Sim are likeable. They get involved in investigating the murder of their friend, a young, dashing Bill Owen.

It's a shame Diana Dors wasn't credited. She was good in her early roles - she turns up in another dance hall with Petula Clark and Bonar Colleano. I think she was dubbed in both films, though.

To the gentleman who thought it terribly rude that some other bloke could just grab your partner - it was called an "excuse me" dance. There was also a "ladies excuse me". This is not a regular Palais de Dance, however - the girls are all professional hostesses.