Piccadilly Third Stop

A well-cast British crime caper, PICCADILLY THIRD STOP has the indignity of being a forgotten film, one of those that occasionally shows up in the middle of the night on TV. That unwieldy title doesn't help matters either. It's a pity, because this is a perfectly acceptable movie, one that's well made and suspenseful, with a tight story and realistic characters to propel the narrative.

The plot sees a group of criminals coming together to steal £100,00, hidden in a safe in an expensive mansion. The group is made up of various characters: Terence Morgan (CURSE OF THE MUMMY'S TOMB) leads as the cold, almost reptilian organiser, while John Crawford is more than effective as the edgy American. William Hartnell in particular shines as the old-fashioned safe cracker, while Mai Zetterling (THE WITCHES) and Yoko Tani (SAMSON AND THE SEVEN MIRACLES OF THE WORLD) add glamour value. Watch out for Dennis Price in the minor role of a loan shark.

The film begins rather slowly, taking time to explore the characters and their relationships, but quickly builds up steam in the second half. The scene of the actual robbery is limited to the last 20 minutes or so but makes for cracking entertainment, with plenty of suspense to keep it brimming along.

Terence Morgan heads the cast in this well-wrought crime story climaxing with a dramatic caper sequence. He's a dastardly type, using women as tools to financial ends. Romancing an innocent young Asian student, he plans a robbery at her country's embassy. His helpers are excellent John Crawford and William Hartnell as the safe-cracker who considers himself an 'artist'. The dialog is often clever and amusing. There are no weak links in the cast that includes Mai Zetterling, Yoko Tani, Charles Kay and great Dennis Price. A jazz-inflected score works well in some scenes, many of which are filmed on London locations. The title apparently refers to the fictional "Belgravia" Underground station in the story. Director Wolf Rilla really scores with this one. Recommended.

German-born Wolf Rilla does a fine job of directing this strangely entitled British B noir. PICCADILLY THIRD STOP refers to a bus stop but the Belgravia underground stop comes much more into view as an action locale. Rilla cleverly exploits a tight screenplay by Leigh Vance which sees a group of assorted criminals plan to rob the Chinese ambassador in London of the £100,000 that he has in his vault.

Sharp-witted and ruthless Dominic, played with verve by Terence Morgan, gets that info from the ambassador's daughter, Fina, touchingly played by Yoko Tani, who has fallen so hard for Dominic that she does not think twice to betray her own father.

Mai Zetterling, then at the height of her interracial relationship and marriage with Sammy Davis Jr, acts as the wife of good for nothing, losing gambler Joe Preedy, but she too is in love with Dominic, who uses females as he might underpants.

Preedy is competently played by John Crawford, placed between a rock and a hard place by Edward, the soft-spoken opportunistic gambling hall kingpin who demands that he cough up the £9,000 that he owes in gambling debts.

The small part of Edward is played by Dennis Price, who simply steals the show. A truly superb actor, it is a pity that Price did so few films as lead, and never had a part again like that of KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS (UK 1949). His dry delivery and distinguished diction are marvelous.

William Hartnell also shines as the old safe cracker who seems reluctant to make use of new technology and certainly does not want to pay for it.

Cinematography ranks far above B pic average.

Definitely worth watching.

Terrence Morgan crashes an embassy party, and seduces the ambassador's daughter. She's in love, and agrees to help him steal a hundred thousand pounds from the embassy's safe. Since Morgan is also carrying on numerous other affairs, he acquires a crew, thanks to John Crawford. As they ready their job, everyone reveals a plan to swindle everyone else, except for cracksman William Hartnell.

Wolf Rilla's crime drama is a fine, seedy affair, with the heart of the theft done in silence, which is a relief from Phillip Green's intrusive and annoying score. Yôko Tani, John Crawford, Mai Zetterling and Dennis Price round out a fine cast, and Ernest Steward's gloomy and threatening lighting of Underground tunnels helps the mood.

This excellent, unjustifiably overlooked, film, has a great part for future Doctor Who, William Hartnell. His character, "The General", is an over-the-hill safe cracker (in the mold of Ray Milland's character in "The safe cracker" or the crooks in "Timelock"). His Colonel is wonderfully fastidious, with great little mannerisms totally foreign to his portrayal of the Doctor. Terence Morgan is coldly wooden, but this fits his character perfectly, as the wannabe underworld spiv. Lastly, I have to compliment Philip Green's score. Green, while being perhaps a bit TOO prolific, here depicts the London underworld with loads of icy jazz; it seems like every scene someone is playing a record or listening to a tape of his music, it's integrated really cleverly into the film. Totally recommended if you can find it.