Five Days

Dane Clark often played ambiguous characters (check the so called well -meaning brother-in -law in " without honor"). Here ,going bankrupt, he wants to die so his wife can collect the insurance money :but he makes no bones about blackmailing an old friend he formerly helped to escape from the gallows. His killer has to do away with him in a way it looks like an accident.

But a new associate retrieves the situation :now the factory is thriving again and there's no more reason to sacrifice one's life. But the "paid to kill" man seems to have disappeared , and there's no way to get the message "the deal is off" through .Soon the industrialist is victim of a murder attempt .But the killer might be someone else who takes advantage of the situation ; when you are wealthy and married to a pretty wife,you have other enemies you do not suspect.

Good film noir ,in a sticky atmosphere (the sauna!) , with enough unexpected twists to sustain the interest throughout.

For the fifties decade, this plot was very surprising, inventive, exciting. Now, in 2023, we can say that this scheme has been used many times in many suspense thriller plots. Unfortunately, the ending is always more or less predictable. Nevertheless, this littme UK thriller remains outstanding, not very long, pullled by a stong acting and cast. As in many features of this period, some US actors were hired for British productions. I recommend this one for any thriller buff, no matter the B production standard. Keep in mind that a B movie is not necessarily a lousy one, on the contrary: a lesser budget permits many daring and offbeat stories. This one is the best example.

So Five Days is a somewhat formulaic murder mystery that still manages to be kind of entertaining. Clark is a likeable enough actor but I feel that he was a bit weak in this performance, and Chevreau was equally underwhelming. Carpenter and Gregory on the other hand were solid and helped to elevate the proceedings. The remainder of the cast and performances were serviceable. There is a bit of a plot twist toward the end of the film but rather mild and not really all that surprising. The twist wasn't really surprising at all because despite an apparently deep almost obsessive love for his wife, he treated her very poorly and showed her little respect. Not a great film by any means but still kind of fun to check out if you have 70 minutes and are curious.

Taking advantage of arrangements favoured by the UK's Eady levy (a state film subsidy established after the war) in 1950, American producer Robert Lippert formed a business alliance with Hammer studios. Under the agreement, Lippert would provide American acting talent - frequently shop-worn stars or just supporting actors who fancied a profitable trip out of the country - while Hammer would supply the rest of the cast and the production facilities. Together they would split the profits. Famous for his concern with the bottom line, Lippert produced over 140 films between 1946 and 1955, characteristically genre pieces such as I Shot Jesse James or Rocketship XM. For the British deal, most of the films were noir-ish thrillers -including 5 DAYS/ PAID TO KILL.

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.

Dane Clark was one of the actors who went to England and made these films for Hammer, Kit Parker Films, etc.

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.