Park Plaza 605

PARK PLAZA 605 is a low budget British film noir in which a stock detective-type character helps the police to track down a gang of Russian thieves and murderers. The American title is NORMAN CONQUEST, although it's not to be confused with the filmed Alan Ayckbourn plays starring Tom Conti.

Instead this is a straightforward police procedural with a good little cast and some tight suspense. Tom Conway (George Sanders's less well-known brother) plays a guy who finds himself caught up in a murder when a body is chucked out of a window; he's the main suspect so must discover the identity of the real crooks in order to clear his name.

Although this is a low rent film throughout, it has a fast pace and fair direction from Bernard Knowles. The supporting cast is also a lively one, with a nice turn from Sid James as a comedic cop which foreshadows his later work in the likes of CARRY ON SERGEANT. Richard Wattis appears in a rare non-comedy part, and there are bit parts for genre regulars like Anton Diffring and Terence Alexander. Overall, PARK PLAZA 605 is a fun little film and one I can recommend to genre fans.

This review is of the US release of the film, under the title NORMAN CONQUEST. One of the many interesting UK pick-ups released by the fading Lippert Pictures in the early 50s to pad its schedule, this mystery should satisfy any fan of B-movie mysteries. Star Tom Conway made a big impression as the Falcon on film and Sherlock Holmes on radio (taking over from Basil Rathbone), and his charm and wit and style pretty much make any film he is in worth watching. The Conquest character--evidently well-known in the UK as there is no attempt to "introduce" his character in the film--has elements of Boston Blackie and the Thin Man and The Shadow (the interplay with his jealous fiancee is very Shadow-like)and Ellery Queen. He is a financially stable dabbler in detection and has a nemesis within the police force who always seeks to get him out of the way. This film should get some kind of record as the mystery begins in an outrageous manner within the first ten seconds of the film! I couldn't believe it, but you have to take films like this one with a LOT of willing suspension of disbelief, and if you go along for the ride, it's quite a bit of fun. There's still one thing I'm not sure about, though. In the scene where Conway spanks Eva Bartok, what is that little clown-like figure in the corner of the room? It's only seen once and never explained. I rewound the tape to watch the scene a few times to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. What's going on here? In conclusion, a solid little mystery here, and one of Tom Conway's last starring roles.

This one hasn't got a lot going for it really. Despite crediting at least three writers it's pretty dull stuff with an overly-complicated plot. Tom Conway imitates his more successful brother once more. After accidentally killing a message-carrying pigeon with a golf shot (I kid you not) our suave hero ('amusingly' named Norman Conquest) decides to attend the hush-hush rendezvous mentioned in the message that is scheduled to take place at the titular hotel room. There he meets the rather fetching Eva Bartok in a bad blonde wig who quickly shoots him in the face with a spray of knockout powder when she realises he isn't the man he's supposed to be.

It gets even sillier after that, with police detective Sid James making a lot of noise for no real reason other than to pad out the already slim running time. Clues and women fall into the suave Conquest's lap, and the film is quite, erm, saucy, for its time with women bound and gagged or threatening to remove their clothes after being soundly spanked (believe me, though, it's not as interesting as it sounds).

There's quite a few familiar British faces worth looking out for (including bespectacled Richard Wattis as a bad guy), but I was struggling to stay awake less than half-an-hour into this and, by the time it finished, I was left wishing I hadn't bothered..

A slick tongue-in cheek little Cold War thriller making light of the usual casualties (starting with an unfortunate courier in the opening scene) in which Hollywood's 'B' picture 'Saint' Tom Conway tangles with foxy foreign femme Eva Bartok (in a blonde wig and a tight shiny dress) and various mean-looking goons while cop Sid James looks on in helpless exasperation.

'Park Plaza 605' or it's alternative title 'Norman Conquest' is a low budget British B-movie that you will never have heard of with B-Pic regular Tom Conway, (Brother of George Sanders) playing Private Detective Norman Conquest who gets mixed up with Nazi Criminals, Murder, and a Blonde Femme Fatale when he hits a carrier Pigeon playing a golf shot (don't ask!) and proceeds to go to the Park Plaza Hotel room 605 out of curiosity after reading a message the bird was carrying.

Co-Starring Sid James (Before his 'Carry on' fame) and Eva Bartok as the Beautiful Femme Fatale with minor roles for Terrence 'Bergerac' Alexander & Richard 'Allo Allo' Marner.

Not great, but not bad for a 75 min B-Movie...Keep your expectations low and you - Like me, should enjoy

**1/2 out of *****