Dancing with Crime

Brisk, efficient British post-War crime melodrama set in London - part of the 'Spiv' movie cycle(films with roots in 30s American Gangster movies, featuring characters profiting from wartime rationing in a similar fashion to 30s bootleggers, but not so clearly glamorised as their Stateside equivalents - see also the superior NOOSE). Richard Attenborough stars as former soldier, Ted Peters, now making a living as a London cab-driver who becomes involved with a criminal gang headed by dance hall owner and criminal mastermind Mr Gregory (the seriously undervalued Barry Jones), whose henchman and M.C. Paul Baker (Barry K. Barnes) has offed Ted's childhood friend and former army buddy Dave Robinson (Bill Rowbotham, better known to U.K. audiences as Bill Owen, star of long-running U.K. T.V comedy series LAST OF THE SUMMER WINE). At Ted's behest, his girlfriend Joy (Sheila Sim) gets a job as a dancehall hostess in Gregory's dance hall as part of Ted's attempts to expose the criminal gang and the true nature of the crime lord's enterprise is gradually exposed. Punchily directed by John Paddy Carstairs, and redolent with post-War atmosphere, this is another example of the type of popular genre fare which entertained U.K. audiences in the 40s at the same time as the now revered 'noir' movies similarly engaged their U.S. contemporaries. Deserving wider acclaim, the movies from this post-War U.K. genre are valid, and diverting, social documents which often gave early exposure to burgeoning talents (in this instance, an uncredited brunette Diana Dors and a 'blink and you'll miss him' Dirk Bogarde) and should, by rights, be as revered in their country of origin as the more celebrated and documented U.S. post-War crime movies. Worth checking out, if you get the chance.

(1947) Dancing with Crime SUSPENSE THRILLER

It has young couple of cabbie, Ted Peters (Richard Attenborough) and his fiance, Joy Goodall (Sheila Sim) meeting an old school chum Dave Robinson (Bill Rowbotham) for a drink. Dave then offers Ted another means of making more dough than his life as a cabbie. And then one day, upon dropping his friend off at a club, Ted then decides to pick up a few things for his girlfriend Joy. Meanwhile, Dave is having some money disputes with the owner of the nightclub, Mr. Gregory (Barry Jones) who was attempting to low ball his cut. And as a result of running away, Mr Gregory's right hand man, Paul Baker (Barry K. Barnes) attempts to shoot and kill him with a pistol, and he manages to escape back into back seat of Ted's cab. Except that Dave was already been shot, attempting to run away, and upon Ted picking up his girlfriend, Dave fell out pronounced dead. Inspector Carter (John Warwick) is assigned to the case along with his assistant, Det Sgt Murray (Garry Marsh). Ted of course, goes on the prowl to catch his friend's killer, along with the help of his girlfriend Joy posing as a dance hostess for the nightclub to find out what she can.

Depicts a time when there was such thing as 'dancing hostesses' where young girls are employed to dance with random strangers in nightclubs. Something I had no idea that used to be a thing back then, which must have been something that happened during WWII, as this movie was made back in 1947, and that the war ended back in 1945.

Not really the best title for this ordinary British crime-noir, but Richard Attenborough ("Ted") and Shiela Sim ("Joy") put in a decent effort. He is a London taxi driver who finds himself embroiled in some criminal activities when his wartime friend is found murdered. The trail leads both him and the police to a nightclub run by "Gregory" (Barry Jones) and his MC "Baker" (Barry K. Barnes). The pair decide that "Joy" may be able to help their investigation by taking a job as an hostess at the club, but is she putting herself and him in even more danger as the gang soon realise that they are onto them? This packs quite a bit into eighty minutes and both at the top of the bill do their jobs efficiently - as does the under-stated Jones. The ending is a bit weakly predictable and it rather dialogue heavy, but it's still quite a watchable afternoon feature with a bit of menace, a little humour and a fine collection of hats!

Ted Peters (Richard Attenborough) plays a London cab driver who finds a friend of his dead in the back of his cab in "Dancing with Crime" from 1947.

Dirk Bogarde and Diana Dors were in this film, but I didn't see them. They were both uncredited.

Ted's friend was involved in some shady dealings. Much of the activity is traced to a dance hall, run by Paul Baker (Barry K. Barnes), and Ted's girlfriend (Sheila Sim) takes a job there in order to spy. Of course, Ted is supposed to stay out of it and let the police do their job, but then, we wouldn't have a movie.

The problem is, the criminals think Ted knows too much and are after him. Is Joy's cover safe?

The best part was seeing Attenborough in the fight scenes - he was a small man, and the script had him throwing people over his head, kicking his feet into them from the ground, all sorts of things. He was like Superman.

Run of the mill melodrama, but I still enjoyed it.

Ted (Richard Attenborough) and Joy grew up with Dave and have remained friends with him....not close friends, but friends. Dave invites them to come to his club and later asks Ted to work with him. Ted assumes Dave is involved in some shady work and politely declines. A short time after this, one of Ted's 'associates' leaves him for dead in the back of Dave's taxi! Now the police do not suspect Ted...but the mobsters who killed Dave think perhaps Dave might have said SOMETHING to Ted before he died. So, they are now looking for Ted...and Ted is trying to find them because the police can't always be there.

This is a GENERALLY good movie, though one part irritated me because it didn't seem realistic and defied common sense. In this scene, two goons are going to kill Ted...and at gunpoint they tell Ted this. Ted is a scrappy guy and manages to beat up BOTH the thugs. BUT, and this annoyed me, he didn't pick up the gun, he didn't tie up the thugs (or shoot their kneecaps to keep them from running away) and proceeds to the police station. Why not call the police and have them meet him at this hideout? Why not give the police the attempted murderers?! If someone was going to murder me and I was able to subdue them, I certainly wouldn't leave to go look for the coppers! It's sad, as otherwise this is a nice little drama. Tense and very interesting to see a nice 'every man' pulled into this messy business. But I must deduct at least a point because of this one sloppily handled scene.