Clash by Night

Other reviewers on this page have pointed out the glaring implausibility of the plot's central planks but that aside, the script, even allowing for the strictures of the period, is laughably bad. Compare The League of Gentlemen from 3 years earlier - another plot bringing together a group of ne'er-do-wells - with Bryan Forbes' clever, arch script nudging knowingly against the limits set by the mores of the time. That's how it could be done. Meanwhile, in Clash By Night: 'I shan't tell you again' is the stern admonishment of a prison officer to one of his charges who is talking too much on the bus. And 'They must be very proud of you' one of the prisoners tells the other prison officer, with no trace of irony, on hearing he lives at home with mum and dad, as they sit having a bit of a chat a few feet from the murdered corpse of his colleague and with the very real prospect of death by immolation hanging over them. I think most of us allow a bit of leeway when watching films from earlier eras, they can be interesting for all sorts of reasons but, frankly, this is dreadful.

'Clash by Night' aka 'Escape by Night' (1964) is some terrifically thrilling, nerve-drilling, pulse-hijacking, hard-hitting Brit-crime celluloid from the 1960s! This boisterous, roustabout B-movie features a VERY unusually sinister performance by Peter Sallis as backward child killer Victor Lush! One of the best creepy-claustrophobic crims locked in a petrol-soaked barn on Bonfire night crime thrillers I've ever seen!! And, cor blimey, mayte! If it don' 'ave quite the most incendiary finale, guv'! And once again the ubiquitous Harry Fowler woz on spiv-tastic form! 'Escape by Night' gotta liver-lashing kick on it like a generously gelignited Gin-spritzer!!!! Strike a light, mayte!!! You'll be awlright wiv the high-octane 'Escape by Night'.

One of the two leather-jacketed 'heavies' guarding the barn is a very young version of Heartbeat's Alf Ventress.

PS: Always enjoyed the double casting of Simon Williams & William Simons in the first episode of the Inspector Alleyn series.

CLASH BY NIGHT is a low rent British crime film. I initially thought it was a Butcher's Films production but it turns out to be from a rival studio. The plot is slightly reminiscent of SPLIT SECOND in that it deals with a gang of ruthless criminals who manage to escape from their transport and take a group hostage. Instead of a nuclear explosion, though, here they lock various prison guards, policemen, and other prisoners into a petrol-soaked barn with the threat of imminent immolation.

Part of the story follows a police investigation as they attempt to track down the culprits while another follows the melodrama taking place inside the barn. Given that this is an entirely low budget production, there isn't a great deal of suspense or tension here, but there are some fairly good performances from the familiar cast members. Terence Longdon (a familiar face from the Carry On films) is the leader of the gang, but my favourite performance came from Peter Sallis (LAST OF THE SUMMER WINE), playing a simple fellow with a passion for fire. What a performance, a total opposite to his later parts!

I don't agree fully with the first reviewer of this film. Whilst I accept that all the clichés are indeed overworked and obvious as the previous reviewer points out , the film itself is entertaining in other ways. As a period piece of the 60's it is great to see that the British stalwarts are all there. Terence Longdon , the lead is o.k. It's good to see Harry Fowler in a typical wide eyed cockney performance. Also of interest is Alan Wheatley ( t.v's villainous Sheriff of Nottingham in the Richard Greene - Robin Hood series ) and lo and behold there is John Arnatt ( the deputy sheriff from the same series ). This time however they are on opposite sides of the law. I suppose it's especially interesting for me as for many years I was a friend of Alan Wheatley's. He was a fine educated man who enthralled me with his tales of filming and the many stars he worked with. I always enjoy his film performances.Then there is Jennifer Jayne ( from t.v's William Tell ), Peter Sallis, Robert Brown, all great supporting actors of British cinema. Taken as a low budget filler there is much enjoyment to be had from the film. O.k. so prisoner's bus is hi jacked and the passengers who all but one are criminals are left stranded in a barn covered with paraffin. One of the prisoners is a loony, another is a decent guy who may have committed fraud, another is a petty thief who has to discover the error of his ways, plus we have the lead's character who killed a guy attempting to rape his wife. So there you have it, all the plot lines are indeed cliché, but the acting from the stalwarts fleshes out the characters and time flies by. Give it a whirl and don't be too harsh.