Aggiungi una trama nella tua linguaA failed business deal forces James Nevill to blackmail his weak-willed friend into murdering him so that his wife can collect his insurance, but circumstances suddenly change.A failed business deal forces James Nevill to blackmail his weak-willed friend into murdering him so that his wife can collect his insurance, but circumstances suddenly change.A failed business deal forces James Nevill to blackmail his weak-willed friend into murdering him so that his wife can collect his insurance, but circumstances suddenly change.
- Regia
- Sceneggiatura
- Star
- Cyrus McGowan
- (as Howard Marion Crawford)
- Perkins
- (non citato nei titoli originali)
- Bowman
- (non citato nei titoli originali)
- Bill
- (non citato nei titoli originali)
- Ingham
- (non citato nei titoli originali)
- Grover - Masseur
- (non citato nei titoli originali)
- Laughing Man in Bar
- (non citato nei titoli originali)
- Professor
- (non citato nei titoli originali)
- Eileen
- (non citato nei titoli originali)
- Chapter
- (non citato nei titoli originali)
- Tough in Bar
- (non citato nei titoli originali)
- Board Member
- (non citato nei titoli originali)
Recensioni in evidenza
Here he stars in "Paid to Kill," a 1954 film also starring Anthony Forwood, Paul Carpenter, and Cecile Chevreau.
Clark plays a businessman out of options when an important deal falls through. Desiring security for his wife, whom he adores, he arranges for someone to kill him.
We've seen this before, though it does contain a twist. However, it's pretty routine.
Clark was a John Garfield wannabe who had a prolific, if not spectacular career in films and television for nearly five decades.
Anthony Forwood, a tall, handsome Brit, was married to Glynis Johns before he became the manager and long-time companion of Dirk Bogarde. He actually made a few films in the '50s before working behind the scenes.
I like these black and white British mystery/suspense films. Some are better than others, but they manage to be entertaining.
Dane Clark appeared several times under the production arrangement, but makes one of his most successful entries here as a man in a jam, with a plan, and a dame. Possessing a characteristic persecuted look, Clark is eminently suited to the role of businessman James Nevill who - fearing that a big deal has gone sour - pays a friend to kill him, to secure insurance money for his unsuspecting wife. Nevill abruptly needs to change his murderous instructions when matters change for the better, but cannot find his unreliable friend. He finds the repeated attempts on his life - whoever it is making them - too close for comfort. Says a business acquaintance of Nevill's business style that: "it's okay for cutthroat and adventure - but not for the City of London." Such a contrast exists elsewhere in a film containing one or two jarring, humorous scenes, featuring Charles Hawtrey (a non-speaking part) partnering Nevill's troublesome, truculent investor. Away from these distractions the film is much stronger, notably in the understated love for Nevill shown by his secretary Joan (Cecile Chavreau), which is played subtly. Although for many the film's final twist is telegraphed someway in advance, 5 Days/Paid To Kill is reasonably suspenseful and largely successful on its own terms, efficiently directed by Tully.
Anyway, Hammer apparently made a whole slew of ultra low-budget noirs featuring either faded American stars or second-tier leading men. This one, then, happened to be shown on late-night Italian TV and, knowing it's been released on DVD by VCI, I made it a point to check it out. It turned out to be a decidedly modest but not unpleasing little film: the star in this case is Dane Clark (not exactly top rank, you see) and, as I lay watching, felt that he wasn't really noir material an opinion which, incidentally, I would change the very next day when I saw this same actor in the superior French-made GUNMAN IN THE STREETS (1950)! The plot, though far-fetched, is engaging: Clark's business fails and, in order to provide for his wife, proposes to have himself killed so that she can collect on his insurance; soon after, his fortune unexpectedly turns and he desperately seeks to stop his killer from carrying out the assigned task!
Even if I watched the film dubbed in Italian, the London settings and character types offer a whole different atmosphere to the American noirs the same thing goes for the French locations of GUNMAN IN THE STREETS and this does help keep one's mind off the measly production values. The denouement provides a few surprises Clark's wife emerges a villainess (which allows him free rein with the devoted secretary who had really loved him all along), the attempts on his life turn out not to have been done by the person he paid expressly for that purpose which elevates the whole slightly than would otherwise have been the case. Besides, the film is short enough at 75 minutes not to overstay its welcome or allow the proceedings to slip into tedium. By the way, the original British title of this one is FIVE DAYS (the period of time over which events take place) but got changed to the more evocative PAID TO KILL for the U.S.
Clark delivers an exemplary performance. Notice his subtle facial expressions to fit the mood. There're some good touches, like the suspenseful father in the park or the colorfully blustery Hyson, neither of which affects the plot but does add atmosphere. And catch that very last shot, suggesting that Nevill's obsession is not yet spent, despite the attempts to kill him, while poor Joan comes trailing after. It also suggests a sneaky subtext that might otherwise go unnoticed amid the murder plots. To me, the movie's much better than expected for a Lippert production. The movie's got mystery, suspense, and atmosphere, plus Clark's motivated turn. So catch it if you can.
Lo sapevi?
- QuizWhen Kirby leaves the party at Nevill's and goes to a bar, the two men sitting behind him (one played by an uncredited Warren Mitchell) are, from their dialogue, clearly gay. Pretty daring for 1954.
- BlooperDuring Jim's struggle with the killer the shadow of a boom mike is visible in the upper left of the screen.
- Citazioni
James Nevill: How would you like to make 500 pounds?
Paul Kirby: Hanh?
James Nevill: Cash! With another 500 to come later.
Paul Kirby: [joking] Who would I have to murder for that?
James Nevill: [gravely] Just one man.
I più visti
Dettagli
- Data di uscita
- Paesi di origine
- Lingua
- Celebre anche come
- Paid to Kill
- Luoghi delle riprese
- Aziende produttrici
- Vedi altri crediti dell’azienda su IMDbPro
- Tempo di esecuzione1 ora 15 minuti
- Colore