Jackpot

Back in 1987 I used to occasionally pass Arsenal Station on my way to the Polytechnic of North London, and this film was over a quarter of a century old even then (yet with the office of a senior policeman already adorned with a portrait of the present Queen).

Despite the title this is not a comedy but a grim little caper film on which the Grand National logo from the 1930s is incongruously accompanied during the opening credits by the usual ubiquitous early sixties crime film jazz score from the days when people smoked constantly, they still hanged murderers and the ability to pay £6000 into your account attracted the interest of the authorities.

Although top-billed, William Hartnell appears only occasionally as the inspector investigating the case. Michael Ripper on the other hand has a much more substantial role than usual as a retired safecracker trying to go straight, but tempted back by the prospect of the then life-changing sum of a thousand pounds.

Jackpot is a British low budget B movie thriller.

Carl Stock is a foreigner and an crook who was deported after being released from prison. Carl has illegally returned to Britain and wants his share of the loot and get back together with his wife.

Only to discover that his wife has move on with her life and the gangster Same Hare who was minding his share of the loot does not want to give it back.

Same runs The Jackpot Club and Carl plans to rob the safe as revenge. With the help of former safe cracker Lenny Lane who now runs a coffee shop, they steal £6000.

Unfortunately while making their getaway a policeman is shot dead. Now they are pursued by the police and the club owner.

A cheap routine thriller with a climax taking place in a football ground between Carl and Sam with the police being in little rush. Even with a short running time, there are long scenes of a drill being used on a safe.

Worth watching to see William Hartnell playing the detective on the hunt for the robbers and having little time for Sam Hare.

George Mikell spent three years in prison and was then deported for a job they never got his associates on. Now he's back in London to collect wife Betty McDowall and his money from the job from Eddie Byrne. Both tell him no, so he collects retired safecracker Michael Ripper and breaks into Byrne's safe. On the way out, Mikell shoots and kills a constable. Now he's got the police after him in the person of William Hartnell.

It's a well-scripted, dirty little crime drama from Montgomery Tully. It's also done so cheaply that it might have been shot for television: lighting, sets, even the way the fights are staged are identical to TV production. The sound is considerably better, but that's almost certainly a matter of the recording medium. Still, for 67-minute B, it moves along at a good clip.

George Mikell ("Stock") takes the fall for a London gangster and when he gets out of prison after over a year of hard labour, returns to Eddie Byrne ("Sam Hare") to get his share. Nothing doing, so he determines to team up with a former safe-cracking friend and help himself to the £6,000 in his safe at the "Jackpot Club". They are successful but as they escape, they kill a vigilant police constable. The police and the gangster are now both on the trail of the robbers. It's quite a decent crime thriller; a few twists and turns though also some pretty obvious plot holes. Michael Ripper is quite convincing as the cowardly safe cracker "Lenny"; William Hartnell is also good as ("Supt. Frawley") as is Betty McDowell as the estranged wife who has long since found a new beau. Nothing new, but it's an engaging low-budget Monty Tully effort.

A known fellon and thief (George Mikell) returns to London and demands money from a former associate (Eddie Byrne) who's the big shot owner of the 'The Jackpot Club', but refuses to hand him his owed money. He convinces another former associate (Michael Ripper), the owner of a worker's caff and now gone straight to help him rob the the club's safe.

A little seen low budget British crime film that holds the viewer's attention throughout and includes a finale shot at the Arsenal footaball stadium Gillespie Road grounds.

William Hartnell who would go onto play the future first Doctor Who three years after this film has a strong part as the police inspector. The film was recently restored and is better than the previously available print, but there are clearly several frames missing from the film.