Città in agguato

Ealing goes to the docks in this marvellous story, about robbery, smuggling and life in general aboard a ship, docked in the old port of London. Bonar Colleano plays Dan MacDonald , a seaman on board the freighter 'Dunbar' who supplements his income, by a little harmless smuggling, when he is approached by a gang to take the proceeds of a daring jewel robbery, to a fence abroad.

Shot in and around Tower Bridge, and the area of Southwark, It shows a side of London, still reeling from all the bomb damage from the blitz.The present generation would do well to see this slice of history.

London docklands in the 1950's . Just a little before my time . I was 12 at the time of filming ,but a few years on when I was 15 I cycled around the Pool with my friends and this movie brought back memories. We also cycled around the Beacton power station and always ended up in a greasy spoon for a meat pie and a cup of builders tea. Great days for so little money.I still remember how things have changed those old buildings have gone and the docks have given way to Docklands and Canary Wharf along with the trappings of super luxury apartments and financial centers. The Thames has altered , so clean, there are so many species of fish. One thing about the film was the Thames sailing barges they have gone, Shame. The film was an excellent example of life in post war London. If you get a chance watch it. the chase through London on a Sunday morning and the old police cars smashing!!.

This is a much overlooked and underrated Ealing gem. It features fine performances by Bonar Colleano and Earl Cameron as his friend and ship-mate. Cameron's performance is an important and groundbreaking one for a black actor in a British movie. The location shots of post-war London are wonderful. I thoroughly commend this movie

This is one of my favourite Ealing movies. Directed by Basil Dearden who also did The Blue Lamp it is a wonderful film that has a cocktail of long lost London, racial prejudice and romance and a diamond robbery. The stars are all excellent in their roles; Earl Cameron and Bonar Colleano were never better in their careers and the leading female roles are both played wonderfully by Moira Lister and Susan Shaw. Solid support roles from Joan Dowling, Renee Asherson, a young Leslie Phillips, James Robertson Justice and Alfie Bass as well. What I can't understand is how that such a great film as this has never (to my knowledge) appeared on video or d.v.d. An oversight that needs putting right.

A crewman and part-time petty smuggler named Dan MacDonald suddenly finds himself a leading suspect in both murder and a diamond robbery when he agrees to unknowingly smuggle the wrong item for the wrong people. There's a great build-up of suspense towards the end with both Scotland Yard and the real robbers on the trail of Mr. MacDonald.

This film is pretty unique--one of its best features is Earl Cameron as Johnny Lambert, the sole black crewman on board ship and MacDonald's very good friend. The level of friendship between these two men is refreshing to see in a film from 1951. Also a potential romance between Johnny and a wonderful white girl (named Pat) he meets nearly blooms and we are made to feel sympathetic to their desires (at this period in time deemed inappropriate by many) as an audience. There are a number of entertaining characters in this film. Unique is that one of the robbers is actually an acrobat and makes use of it in the robbery.

The film has a very realistic feel to it-like something which could possibly have happened and the words written for characters to utter here is very thoughtful and reflective. An underrated film.