Faux policiers

Despite its b-film status, this is really quite a good film. It works well as a traditional caper movie, with fine scenes of suspense, but it stands out especially for the cinematic tension created between Belinda Lee's character and the little boy, to me as fine an example of pure cinema as I've seen, the kind of thing one might otherwise find in an Ingmar Bergman movie. This is a paradigm example of suspense, as we wonder if the Lee's character can make psychological contact with the boy, as the boy moves further apart from her. The bland close-ups on the boy work for the film, since we can never read what is going on in his mind as we wait to see if he will reconcile with the woman or not. Also noteworthy is the ambivalent ending, when one might otherwise expect a more conventional reunion, as far as I can go without revealing a spoiler.

OK, so it does sag somewhat in the middle - but otherwise this is quite a well paced crime drama that sees "Molly" (Belinda Lee) caught up in a plan by her friend "Gerry" (Ronald Lewis) that ensnares her impressionable brother "Mike" (David McCallum) and her even more impressionable young fan "Freddie" (Michael Brooke) into a daring diamond robbery. Turns out the youngster's dad is a policeman, and when he procures - unwittingly - a police uniform to assist the gang with their robbery; things begin to close in on "Molly", "Gerry" and the honest young man who happens upon the stones... There's not a great deal of jeopardy here - we sort of know from the outset what is going to happen, but Lee and the young Brooke are on good form and it shows us quite an interesting perspective on a still recovering post-war London populated by petty gangs and small time thieves who could be pretty brutal as required. It's a bit long and wordy - it could do with a bit more action, but it's got a tight cast with a decent plot that kills 90 minutes easily enough.

Robbery story aside, this film is wonderful in its portrayal of children's lives in the lost world of grimy post-war Britain. A place where 3 year-olds could be allowed to play, unsupervised on bomb-sites amid rusting abandoned cars and ruined buildings. Where "dens" and "camps" could be built and secret places discovered. One priceless scene in this environment is where Freddy's younger brother, having discovered a large diamond, immediately swaps it with another child for a penny. She in turn swaps it with another child and it goes on until it changes hands at the astronomical price of one shilling and three pence (seven and a half p) . Reminded me very much of my own childhood during this period, where swaps were the order of the day. The perceived value of an item often being greater or less than its actual value, depending upon the individuals involved in the deal. The follow up in the story is an amusing sequence where the Police have to backtrack the deals, questioning the tight-lipped kids, in order to find the diamonds's origin. Love watching these films. I am always puzzled by the apparent age of kids parents. Freddy is about fifteen. At his age my parents were 36, but his parents look ancient. Belinda Lee, who plays Molly, was 22 at the time, but her mother (Gretchen Franklin) has the appearance of an old age pensioner! Maybe its just their clothes? In American films of the era it's even worse. With grey-haired dowagers parenting 10 year-olds!

A beautiful young woman named Molly (Belinda Lee) begrudgingly gets involved with her brother Mike (David McCallum) in a diamond heist, meticulously planned by a small-time crook (Ronald Lewis). It's super risky, involving the impersonation of police, but amazingly, they get away with it. Sadly, a boy named Freddie (Michael Brooke), who has a crush on Molly, also becomes involved without his knowledge, and now he's in danger too.

This one features shades of The Window, which is a good thing. It's not on par with that one for various reasons, but still very enjoyable, with some good surprises. The story is engaging, adding layers that keep interest high, especially when Freddie's little brother finds something he shouldn't have, which sets off an entirely new, somewhat amusing chain of events.

All the performances were enjoyable, but Michael Brooke was the real revelation here. He did a fine job in the last of eight roles in his short career. (I also saw him in X the Unknown, but it wouldn't have been significant to me at the time)

I was very pleasantly surprised with this one. Recommended!

A splendid thriller, slow in the start, but eventually the build-up begins towards an impressing climax, both story-wise and above all cinematographically. The actors are all more than excellent, especially the boy - one of the greatest performances in films ever by a child. The plot is, to say the least, complicated: it starts simple enough, as plans are made for an infallible burglary into a jewellry boutique, but, as always, unexpected things happen, leading to an extensive mess of complications. Please be patient with this film. There are many dull moments in the beginning, but I promise you, eventually you will wake up.