Naked Fury

Bungled heist drama performed with tedious solemnity for a second feature. Director Saunders may have the ostensibly estimable ring of perhaps a previous Ealing luminary fallen on hard times, but in actual fact is merely a prolific veteran of the derisory programme-filler. His handling of the 'astonishing' revelation is sensationalistically lurid; appropriately enough given the viewer's strength of will to see some semblance of life injected into these sort of things by any means as the climax draws near, in order to mitigate the guilty shame of yet another wasted hour...

'Naked Fury' doesn't have much (enough?) to it, but it sure ends up delivering entertainment. I was mildly enjoying this 1959 flick all the way through, though it is the ending that knocks it up a notch for me. I wasn't expecting such an action-y finish, but I certainly approve!

Reed De Rouen is a good choice as the leader of this particular group, he gives the best performance here. I rate the rest of 'em too, especially Arthur Lovegrove, Alexander Field and Leigh Madison. Kenneth Cope chews the scenery a touch but is still solid enough throughout.

Oh, and the score is pretty nice too. All in all, a movie I had a suitably fun time with; even if it could've done with having more meat on the bones.

NAKED FURY is a fun time-wasting B-movie thriller from 1959. This one clocks in at around an hour in length and has an unusual setting to distinguish it from most: almost all of the action takes place in rooms at the top of a derelict building which is threatening to crumble to the ground at any moment. The story is the usual fallout between thieves after a successful robbery and features a cast of B-movie performers doing their bit.

This is hardly the kind of film to set the world on fire although it's quite passable and it does feature an impressive and elaborate effects-filled climax which I can't remember seeing the likes of elsewhere in this genre. Stodgy Reed De Rouen is a forgettable lead but a youthful Kenneth Cope does very well early on in his career as the slimiest villain of the piece. Leigh Madison does acceptable damselling in distress and Guyana-born performer Tommy Eytle appears decades before he became an EASTENDERS regular. Stock director Charles Saunders handles things while the hard-working Guido Coen produces. You could do a lot worse.

Reed De Rouen leads the crew back from the heist with more money than they had anticipated. Come tomorrow, he'll arrange for passports and passage. It's all going better than planned, except for having to kill the night watchman and bringing his daughter back to the dilapidated building they use for a hide out. De Rouen thinks it can be easily managed. But he's wrong.

It's another of the cheap B features that Charles Saunders found himself directing, after a fast start more than a decade earlier. Happily, and despite the cast of actors I don't recognize, he has a good script by Guido Coen with some surprises in it, and one or two good set pieces for Walter J. Harvey to shoot as the plans collapse and the cohesion of his gang go along with it. Definitely worth a look.

Naked Fury is a hard boiled B feature set in London. Eddy (Reed De Rouen) is the leader of a gang of criminals who have robbed a warehouse. The volatile Johnny (Kenneth Cope) has attacked the night watchman who later dies in hospital.

Carol who is the daughter of nightwatchman walked in during the robbery to see her dad. The gang take her as hostage.

After the job the gang hideout on the top floor of a rickety old warehouse. Eddy will keep watch of Carol as he wonders what to do with her. The others have to act normal and get back to their homes. They will split the loot later.

Easier said than done. One robber desperately needs money as his son is ill. Another has a wife who wants half his share of the loot in order to give him an alibi.

Johnny is looked up by an old friend of his who suspects Johnny has been up to no good. He also takes a shine to Carol but he was the one attacked her father. He is also willing to finish off Carol if the need ever arises.

What raises Naked Fury from a routine quickie B movie is the climax. It resembles more a disaster movie. The criminals fall out among themselves, the police are on their case as the floor of the warehouse collapses.