User Reviews

Dastardly Dermot is sent down from Oxford where he had been sent on the profits of his fathers fencing.Notwithstanding this Dermotseems to believe that he is still entitled to a reasonable standard of living.so eventually he becomes a member of Martin Bensons gang.Unfortunately he makes a very inauspicious debut.However he is able to propose a diamond robbery.Unfortunately everything goes so wrong it is a surprise that the police don't catch them till after the bungled job.Dermot decides to do a runner but falls to his death from a roof whilst his father and wife look helplessly on.this film manages to pack a lot into its 67 minutes running time.A really fine cast as well

Charles Victor is the owner of a small furniture and antique shop who handles the odd bit of stolen goods on the side. The reason being he needs the extra cash to put his son through Oxford. The son, Dermot Walsh, gets himself tossed out and comes home to sponge off the old man. Walsh quickly runs through Victor's savings and wants more money than the old man can supply.

Walsh gets himself involved with Barbara Murray, a lodger staying at Vidor's house. She falls for the smooth talking Walsh and the pair run off together. Vidor tries to help out the couple and gets Murray a job as a receptionist at a diamond wholesaler.

Walsh in the meantime has hooked up with some heavy-duty crooks. They are going to pull a warehouse holdup and need a driver. Needless to say, the job is bungled and Walsh barely escapes capture by John Law.

Walsh now decides it would be easier to rob the office where Murray works. He hooks up with the robbery bunch again and tells them the plan. They rent the office next door and plan to break in through the wall.

Of course there is a rather large fly in the ointment. The Police have been on to the mob and have been following their every move. On the night of the break-in, the Yard swoops in just as they break through the wall into the diamond shop.

Vidor, hearing about the plan, drives to the shop to try to help his swine of a son. Walsh gets his in the end though as he falls from the roof trying to get away.

This is not a great film by any means, but at only 66 mins, it does pass the time.

Also in the cast are, John Horsley, Martin Benson, Anne Simmons and John Blythe.

Dermot Walsh had roles in, MARK OF CAIN, THE GHOST SHIP, COUNTERSPY, THE BLUE PARROT, THE STRAW MAN, BOND OF FEAR, THE HIDEOUT, MOMAN OF MYSTERY and SEA FURY.

Murray was in, THE DARK MAN, MYSTERY JUNCTION, STREET CORNER and ANOTHER MAN'S POISON.

The film was written and directed by John Gilling. Gilling's work includes, NO TRACE, VOICE OF MERRILL, DEADLY NIGHTSHADE, RECOIL, ESCAPE BY NIGHT, 3 STEPS TO THE GALLOWS, DOUBLE EXPOSURE, THE EMBEZZLER, TIGER BY THE TAIL, INTERPOL and THE MAN INSIDE.

Others have told the story - the junk dealer wants his son to be a gentleman, and an architect, but the son is sent down from Oxford for reasons unspecified. Son Julius then falls in with some crooks, while his wife gets a job as secretary to a diamond merchant. Well, you can guess what happens. But there are a couple of twists at the end and a very dramatic finish.

As always, I love the authentic feel of grimy old London. The junk in the shop has flowed into the house (watched over by Thora Hird in a small role). Charles Victor, memorable in The Woman in Question, puts on a convincing Italian accent as the deluded dad.

It is very well shot, with high contrast and dark shadows, especially in the last scenes. Unfortunately the sound is not very good. I kept missing lines of dialogue, so turned on the subtitles. Unfortunately the subtitler had not been able to hear all the dialogue either, resorting to (MUMBLES) and confusing the names of Rosselli and Marcella. Some lines came out as a complete word salad.

Michael Ward is good as Cornelius the educated sales assistant in the antique shop. Mr Big the gangster taunts him for smelling of roses, Julius calls him "that Victorian gramophone", and Mr Rosselli reminds everybody that Cornelius is fond of his mother. Perhaps his maltreatment is intended to show us these characters' true natures, however charming or paternal they appear to be.

But wouldn't the police arrest Mrs Rosselli too, instead of just leaving her in the street? Will she find happiness with the policeman? Will she take over the antiques business?