Forbidden Cargo

I watched this on the talking pictures channel as there was nothing of quality elsewhere, and was I in for a very watchable treat. It had a sterling cast ranging from Joyce Grenfell as a scatty upper class birdwatcher through to Nigel Patrick as a dogged customs detective prepares to risk his life to get the smugglers. If you grew up with quality such as this, you'll find the modern "movies", dull and predictable by comparison. I gave it a 10.

This movie is kind of fun. If you imagined that working from Customs was boring and uninteresting, this will change your mind. Kenyon the Customs inspector travels to the South of France, consorts with beautiful women, stays in luxury motels, and generally lives a very high life.

It's not a bad story about a brother and sister drug smuggling ring that is busted open my modest men from Customs in tweed jackets and narrow ties.

It doesn't give much indication in the beginning of what is to be, but after the first smuggling incident with the bird woman, an interesting drama starts to build up. Nigel Patrick is the elegant investigator, who soon finds himself up against a professional team of gangsters, where Theodore Bikel has a key role, first appearing as a charming musician with his honeyed voice. No one can suspect anything about what this intriguing character actually is working with, while Jack Warner on his way to alcoholism alarmingly reacts against him from the start, which should raise the suspicion that he feels stuck in a racket that he cannot handle. It is difficult to suspect his sister Elizabeth Sellers of having any part of it, and she actually ultimately saves or tries to save the situation. There are some impressing diving sequences as well, but the main thing is the very intelligent plot and story. It's a great and efficient criminal drama of drug traffic in the early 50s and certainly much ahead of its time.

"Forbidden Cargo" is a very good crime film. However, it is vastly different from an American crime movie of the era...much of it because instead of action and snappy dialog, this one seems very staid and subdued. This is NOT a complaint. While some of the camerawork is actually reminiscent of film noir, the overall style and energy level are not.

The heroes of this film are not police but members of the Inland Revenue...the British version of the Customs Department. It begins with some very audacious criminals bringing in contraband while using British Navy uniforms and a duck (an amphibious boat). After cracking that case, one of the men captured for this crime mentions that he would like to have his case dropped IF he tells them about a shipment of drugs about to come into the UK. However, before any deal can be made, this man is murdered...and the Inland Revenue sends an undercover agent to France to follow what few leads they have.

As I mentioned before, this really isn't a typical action film....but it is very good when it comes to realism and excitement. For fans of crime flicks, this is one well worth your time.

This is an entertaining smuggling yarn with an excellent cast.Nigel Patrick is good in the lead role ably supported by Jack Warner,then at the height of his Dixon of Dock Green fame.The chief villain is Terence Morgan assisted by American,Theodore Bikel.Even smaller roles are well cast.The inimitable plays the aristocratic birdwatching,and is hilarious as usual.Eric Pohlman is a gang member who wants to spill the beans to get a shorter sentence.There is a lot of cars dashing around dark London streets.Strangely the package of drugs is supposed to be at Victoria Station but it is clearly Waterloo.Shame that this film now seems to be virtually forgotten.