The Challenge

We often forget that director John Gilling was not only a horror film specialist, but also a crime and adventure yarns provider. This one THE CHALLENGE, PICK UP ALLEY, THE MAN INSIDE, TIGER BY THE TAIL...and I don't even speak of his first thrillers, are the best proof. This one shows Anthony Quayle, for once, in a lead character, and Carl Möhnner in a supporting one, seven years after RIFIFI. And in RIFIFI, Carl Möhner's son was kidnapped, and a jewels' ransom was asked against the child's release. Here Carl Moehner's character kidnaps a little boy, for the same purpose !!! The total contrary... Beware, this film is not as gritty nor terrific as the Jules Dassin's movie, far far tougher. But it remains a pretty good British crime actioner, in a period where UK film industry still made good stuff, unlike now, in 2024, where most of the crime and gangster movies are made for straight to DVD or streaming platforms market.

One of the better London-based crime films of the 1950s/1960s to appear on the Talking Pictures channel. It was interesting to see Anthony Quayle as something of an underdog, and I always puzzle about Edward Judd's transformation as an actor. In "The Challenge", he looks a bit seedy, not helped by unflattering baldness, whereas after some 50 years I can still recall his screen presence in some TV series or other - helped by a toupee, a bit of burliness and a smart suit.

I have a feeling that, as with so many films, the regional railway stock and the London terminus didn't match. (And even in those days did drivers really leave ignition keys in their cars?) Despite what others have said, I thought that Jayne Mansfield was adequate, though I fast-forwarded through her song.

The poster for the film shown here on IMDb titillates misleadingly. I'm not sure who the cavorting lady is - Billy before she went blonde or the stripper whose act we never got to see completely?

There are many really good British noir films that exploit the seediness of post-war London, set around Soho and involving realistic underground criminality and making very watchable drama out of 1950's London low-life.

But this isn't that kind of film.

For some reason, the producers decided to make a Hollywood type noir - ignoring the excellent genre work done by other British producers and creating a totally unbelievable poor-mans version of a movie that should have had Bogart and Raft in it but instead had a collection of totally out-of-place British actors - and - Jayne Mansfield.

Mansfield whispers - Marilyn Monroe style - her way through the part and it is obvious that her attempt at a sultry voice has to be overdubbed for many of her scenes. The rest of the cast try their best to be American gangsters (at one point Anthony Quayle actually calls somebody a "dirty-rat") and betray their true acting ability in a poor attempt to be something they aren't.

The cinematography is good - lots of moody lighting, clever angles and the direction is sharp, closely cut with some good set scenes. But you always feel that this is a British attempt at making a film that is totally un-British.

The film gets better as it progresses as the story takes over and Quayle's excellent performance lifts the film out of its misery into something that is finally worth watching. But you always feel that Quayle is on a damage reduction exercise trying his best to rescue the awful script and Mansfield's execrable acting and try and create something worthwhile. Regrettably, the forces of mediocrity win out.

This film contains a surprisingly high level of violence; in particular the kidnapping scene where the boy's grandmother is beaten up. Even nowadays when gory violence seems to be the norm, it mainly happens to men and I think most film producers would hesitate before depicting a helpless old lady being beaten senseless in prolonged and graphic detail, in this case made more realistic and believable by good acting from Barbara Mullen. The same thug who beat her is later arrested in his bedroom by the police sending in a dog followed by three heavies who give him a savage beating before driving him to the station where he is threatened with more unless he gives the location of the boy. Whether her acting is good or bad the producers probably wanted Jayne Mansfield as added glamour which she provides by looking stunning particularly towards the end when she sings in her club. Overall this is an exciting and entertaining thriller.

When you watch a British crime film from the 1950s you expect that the gang boss will be played by Herbert Lom,or Martin Benson or maybe Eric Pohlman,but Jayne Mansfield!\whereas Joan Crawford is a tigress when she is a gang boss,Eg Johnny Notorious,Mansfield is a pussycat.She has all the toughness of a rotten tomato.Once the going gets tough she gets going and Carl Mohne takes over.The best she can do is simper in a variety of wigs and a different outfit for every scene.She simpers a song in a sort of Monroe imitation.She is in short dreadful.Quayle plays against type as her crook lover who went to prison but kept the loot.If you were to take Monroe out of this film you would have a good film.Nevertheless when Mansfield is off the screen the film is quite entertaining.