Breakaway

This is a modest British B thriller of the mid-fifties, which contains no remarkable performance. Its chief interest is historical, in that it shows some interesting shots of London at the time, and gives an extended view of what London's airport was like in 1955, including inside the hangars. The urbane and suave Tom Conway plays yet another gentleman detective, but he seems to have no zest for it this time, and his flirtations with women have lost their zing entirely, as he is getting on a bit and showing it. The plot concerns commercial espionage. Everyone wants to get hold of a new chemical formula to combat metal fatigue in aircraft and sell it for a fortune. Various chaps wave guns unconvincingly, someone gets shot in the shoulder, several unscrupulous people ooze greed enough to make us believe them, a girl is kidnapped without looking particularly frightened, and the plot is complex enough not to be boring. Honor Blackman has a major role, looking glamorous and intense, but has no magic. Arthur Lowe, later popular on television, does well in a cameo. Michael Balfour is silly as Conway's sidekick. This is no classic, but it is not hopeless.

I got this movie because it was one of three Honor Blackman movies that I did not own. It's just been released as an R2 DVD, part of a series called "The Best of British Collection". The disc rated U runs 71 minutes and is of course PAL format.The quality of the print is excellent.

The movie is about the search for a formula to combat metal fatigue, an important issue at the time following the Comet disasters. It's not particularly good with a couple of so so car chases and contrived fights. I'd rent it rather than buy it.

Honor Blackman has smallish part, Freddie Mills is a friend of the hero and Michael Balfour, who seems to pop up in bits in just about every British movie of the period has his longest part that I have ever seen as the lovable, dumb factotum of the hero Tom Conway.

Not much here even as historical interest.

BREAKAWAY is the second of a couple of detective films starring the ubiquitous Tom Conway (brother of George Sanders) as a private eye who gets caught up in a double case involving a kidnapped woman and a special formula to combat metal fatigue that both the east and west are keen to get their hands on. Invariably the two cases are linked and with a aid of a few allies, Conway is soon hot on the trail of spies and the like.

Although it passes the time reasonably well, it's fair to say that BREAKWAY is an unremarkable British crime film. Other, even lower budgeted films did the whole private eye thing a lot better, for example the two Toff films made with John Bentley. Conway does have some basic charisma as the lead but he's getting on a bit here and he looks every inch his age.

The supporting cast is as interesting as ever for a British B-production. Honor Blackman is dolled up to look particularly glamorous - probably as glamorous as she ever looked, at least until GOLDFINGER. Michael Balfour contributes one of his patented 'buddy of the lead' role and has some good comic moments. American star John Colicos plays pretty much the same role as he did in the same year's PASSPORT TO TREASON, and boxer Freddie Mills is the bartender. There's also a nice cameo for Arthur Lowe. BREAKAWAY features a handful of action scenes including fist fights and one decently-portrayed car accident, but it's slim pickings for this particular genre.

This is a lot of fun, but only if seen before or after BARBADOS QUEST. Both productions have Tom Conway and Michael Balfour playing the same characters while another 4 or 5 actors appear in both films playing different roles including John Colicos, who should forever be distinguished as the 1st Klingon seen on STAR TREK. In addition, both films were released within a few months of each other suggesting the possibility of interchangeable film shooting which would be the envy of Roger Corman, or Orson Welles.

All credit to Berman and Baker for not only making full use of their alloted time and money, but probably also using the Tom Conway character as a dry run for THE SAINT tv series which they produced a few years later.

After all this the quality of this film's plot and performances is almost incidental.

Tom Conway had of course starred as The Falcon.That series ,though only B features look positively stylish when compared with this truly lame effort.Conway looks as if he couldn't punch his way out of a paper bag.Michael Balfour has the silliest wig going,and his lines are almost as inept.There is also ex boxer Fredie Mills in the part of a barmen.He couldn't act for toffees.Honor Blackman is totally wasted.the plot is complex but totally uninvolving.It is the standard plot for the mid 1950s,relating to commercial espionage.there are many familiar faces but little inspiration.Incidentally watch closely when Seton comes out of his club ,gets into a car and drives away.If you look in the reflection in the boot of the car you will see a member of the crew signalling to Mills to make his entrance.