Columbia Noir # 7: Made In Britain — Columbia Noir # 7: Made In Britain(Blu Ray boxset)

Here we see the very welcome return of Powerhouse’s Columbia Noir boxset series. For this 7th  in the series, the focus is on films made in Britain.  The Blu-ray set takes in six films- each receives a lovely new scans, and a selection of worthy extras. The films move between blends of caper-based noir and romantic drama, crime procedural/ courtroom drama, femme fatale melodrama noir, London mob-based noir, a blend of noir and over road adventure, and mystery-focused noir with gothic horror touches.

 

First up, we have 1955’s A Prize Of Gold. It’s a post-WWII set film, which blends elements of robbery-bound noir and romantic drama with touches of action/ crime thriller. It was shot between Berlin and London, with two notable/ known names appearing in the cast, Richard Widmark (Madigan, To The Devil A Daughter, The Swam), and George Cole (The St Trinian’s films, Minder)

It was directed by Montreal, Canada-born Mark Ronson. Between the early 40’s and late 70’s, he had thirty-three features to his name.  These take in the psychological thriller Ghost Ship (1943), small-town set melodrama Peyton Place (1957), and disaster movie Earthquake (1974).

After the rather ill-fitting brick wall & warbling operatic easy listening set credits. We see a canal in Berlin being dredged - the huge metal claws pick up a whole load of gold bars from the murk. It’s quickly decided that the nazi gold must be sent back to the UK.

US Sergeant Joe Lawrence (Widmark) and British Sgt. Roger Morris (Cole) are sent to deliver the order, though on the way, they stop off at the Americans' big/ plush apartment. A young boy steals their jeep, they take chase- following the boys to a selection of bombed-out/ underground buildings. We find out sooner enough that this is a haphazard school that has been set up to teach/ put up all the misplaced German children of the war. Running the place are blond in her late twenties Maria (Mai Zetterling) and greying haired Dr. Zachmann (Karel Stepanek).

From the off, it’s clear that Joe has fallen for Maria- quickly asking her out on a date and getting more involved. It becomes clear that she and the Dr want to get the children out of the bomb ruined Berlin, to a new life in Brazil.

Two shipments of the gold are sent back to London- then Sgt. Roger suggests they steal the final shipment, as he knows Alfie Stratton (Donald Wolfit) a brilliant-creamed and balding retired crook, who wants to do one more job, though he most certainly doesn’t want to get his hands dirty. They pull into the plot, unpredictable/ won’t follow orders, ex-English airmen Brian Hammell (Nigel Patrick), and seemingly everything is set.

The first half an hour or so of the film focuses on the slowly growing romance between the schoolteacher and the US servicemen. With briskly shown shots of the gold being loaded on a plane.

For the last hour, we very much switch into a blend of robbery-focused noir & crime drama. There are some quite suspenseful moments along the way- with exploding cars, characters hanging off bridges, etc.

Initially, when I put the film in, I was unsure if I had the right film/ disc, doubt it’s noir credentials. What with the coloured stock, and the just past wartime romantic drama focus- but it’s worth hanging in there, as we get some neat and suspenseful twists, and I really didn’t see the film playing out how it does.

On the new extras side for this disc, we get a commentary from film historians Thirza Wakefield and Melanie Williams. They begin by talking about the film's theme song that’s sung by London-born singer Joan Regan- giving a brief bio of her, before touching on how the song did well in its own right- selling well, with even sheet music being produced.  They discuss the opening post war location and touch on the boy actor who steals the jeep. We get a bio of Swedish actress Mai Zetterling, who plays the film's love interest. After a stint in acting, she went on to direct feminist focused cinema. We get quotes from reviews of the time, and they comment that Richard Widmark was forty-one when he made this film, touching on his character in the picture. They point out the bubble/ min cars that appear on a few occasions in the early part of the film. Later on, they discuss the Anglo- American back and forth between the film's characters. We get a bio of the film's director, Mark Ronson- we find out that he started his career in film as an editor, with one of his notable early roles being assistant editor on Citizen Kane. We get a bio of Richard Widmark, and more. All in all, a decent/ informative track.

The only other new thing on this disc is Stealing Hearts (14.41) which Academic and film historian Lies Lanckman discusses where/ how the film fits into the city-based film noir genre, and how the film's romantic lead is not directly a femme fatale but has elements of this trope.

Otherwise, we get the following archive extras: The BEHP Interview with Bill Lewthwaite (109 mins):  a 2008 interview made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring the prolific editor in conversation with Glyn Jones. Golden Opportunity (14.00): a 2020 interview with clapper loader Geoff Glover, who fondly recalls his first-ever experience on a film set. Original theatrical trailer & Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials

 

 

The second film in the set is 1956’s The Last Man To Hang. This decidedly pacey black-and-white noir moves between crime procedural, courtroom drama, and melodramatic flashback. It regards an upper-class music critic who is accused of poisoning his neurotic wife.

The picture is directed by Madia Vale, born Terence Fisher, who is probably best known for the twenty-nine Hammer films he helmed. Taking in the likes of Horror Of Dracula (1958), The Curse Of The Werewolf (1961), and The Devil Rides Out (1968). Though he did over thirty other non-Hammer credits- such as period drama So Long at the Fair (1950), comedy horror The Horror Of It All (1964), and adventure Robin Hood: The Movie (1991).

The film comes in at a tight and pacy one hour and fifteen minutes, and really, there is little or no fat in the plot. We move from seeing an older woman racing upstairs in the morning to discovering a younger woman seemingly dead. The older woman is Mrs Turker (Freda Jackson), the long-serving housekeeper of the younger woman, Daphne Strood (Elizabeth Sellars).

From the off, it seems a fairly clear case of Mariticide- as Mrs Turker seems clear her husband did it, the pencil-moustached and sleek back-haired Sir Roderick Strood (Tom Conway). And he’s stopped trying to leave the country with another woman, all but admitting it. So, he’s arrested- with the portly and monocle-wearing Antony Harcombe Q.C. (David Horne) taking on the case.

We then move on to get a snapshot of a selection of the jurors getting their letters to attend court, and we have a good selection of different characters. There’s a middle-aged man whose younger son is infuriating him, there’s a woman living with her domineering mother, a man who has had an affair in the past, and a funeral director played by Victor Maddern( Dunkirk, Four Desperate Men, and around one hundred and seventy other credits) - who was the most recognisable face to me.

The film shifts between the build-up to the court case, flashbacks, and, of course, courtroom drama. The whole thing is edited with real pace/ flair, which truly pulls you along with the story. And as we go through it all, there are some surprises/ twists.

The cast is largely good/ well selected, with our lead, Tom Conway, selling well the shifting doubt of guilt. Freda Jackson is also excellent as the devoted housekeeper, and David Horne makes for an entertaining defence lawyer.

Yes, the film initially feels very 1950’s - with presentation of the characters, class cliches, etc. Though this does ease off as you get pulled into the story, so all in all, The Last Man To Hang is an engaging/ entertaining noir.

For this picture, we have a new audio commentary with writers Barry Forshaw and Kim Newman. They start by talking about before Terence Fisher became a household name due to his work on Hammer’s horror films. They point out notable bit-part actors as they appear. They touch on the original 1930’s novel, The Jury, the picture was based on. They note the appearance of a 50’s horror comic in the film. They touch on the history of capital punishment/ hanging in the UK. They discuss the film's screenwriters and comment on the jury selection.  Later on, they discuss how everyone of how everyone has to hide.  They touch on the more problematic issues of trial by jury.  They talk about their favourites of Fisher's early filmography, comment on how good the film looks now, and more. All in a well-researched & observed track from these two.

On the archive side, we have the following.  Film Fanfare No. 5 (4.48): a 1956 British Pathé newsreel featuring a lucky competition winner visiting the set of The Last Man to Hang and meeting the cast and crew. The Guardian Lecture with Ivor Montagu (75 mins):  a 1977 audio recording of a lecture delivered by the screenwriter at the National Film Theatre, London, on the subject of Lenin and cinema. Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials

 

 

The third film here is 1956’s Wicked As They Come- it’s a femme fatale melodrama noir, with its genre tropes becoming clearer/ more defined in the picture's last quarter. 

It was directed/ co-written by Liverpool-born Ken Hughes. Between the early 50’s and early 80’s, he has twenty-three credits to his name. These went from Sci-fi thriller The Brain Machine (1955), comedy musical Jazz Boat (1960), globetrotting adventure/ family fantasy/musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), and slasher Night School (1981).

The film focuses on Kathleen (Arlene Dahl) a poor but beautiful Boston woman, who is determined to climb the social ladder, man by man. When we first meet her, she is living in a small apartment with her stepfather(Sid James doing a rather dodgy American accent).

As the film unfolds, she manages to get herself out of the states- heading to London, and while on the plane, she meets another character who keeps reappearing throughout the film, Tim O'Bannion(Philip Carey), who works for an ad agency- he shifts between being enchanted by, and seeing what Kathleen for what she really doing, to feel sorry for her.

Dahl has a true screen presence, and she rather reminded me of Virginia Madsen. Her character very cunningly shifts from man to man, using them & their money, then moving onto her next step on the ladder. Though she can’t do intimacy, with something in her past connected to this.

The selection of men she goes through is fairly varied- moving from those of her own age, to middle-aged, to elderly. Each actor is well selected, with none of them really seeing what’s going on until it’s too late.

The film itself does feel very American. And as mentioned earlier, it’s not until the last quarter that the noir elements fully kick in, with great use of shadows, moving into more serious crimes, and neat/ moody confrontations - before this, the film is much more of a melodrama than a pure noir.

The picture runs for one hour and thirty-five minutes, and it retains its engagement throughout, as you wonder how far Kathleen can go and what the implications will be. So, all in all, Wicked As They Come is an entertaining melodrama with some rewarding noir touches.

There’s only one new extra for this film. Selected scenes commentary with writer and academic José Arroyo (9.38). The commentary takes in three or so scenes from the film- where he talks about how the film recalls early 1930’s noir, the way the lead character is sexualized, and how she is, rather a feminist take on the femme fatale. It’s short but worth a play.

On the archive side, we have the following: The BEHP Interview with Maxwell Setton (90 mins): a 1991 audio interview featuring the producer in conversation with John Legard and Dave Robson. Soho (12.00): a 1943 silent amateur film by Wicked as They Come director Ken Hughes capturing life in London during the Second World War. Original theatrical trailer, and Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials

 

 

Film number four is 1956’s Spin A Dark Web- this is a London-set noir, regarding a Canadian ex-serviceman/amateur boxer who gets wrapped up with the local mob. The film runs at a tight seventy-six minutes, with zero plot fat, and with an engaging blend of shady mob business, on-the-fly shots of the city, a few fights/ bashes over the back of the head, chases & a few quite tense moments.

Spin A Dark Web (stateside title Soho Incident) was directed/ co-written by Edmonton, Middlesex-born Vernon Sewell. It was based on the 1937 Wide Boys Never Work novel by London crime fiction writer Robert Westerby.

Between the mid-forties and the early seventies, Sewell had thirty-two features to his name. These take in shipyard-based wartime drama The Silver Fleet (1943), steamboat set mystery horror Ghostship (1952), tense robbery-gone-wrong thriller Strongroom (1962), and comedy/ horror crossbreed Burke & Hare (1972).

The film opens in the boxing gym of croaky/ speaks his mind Tom Walker (Joss Ambler). His son, a up and coming fighter, Bill(Peter Hammond) is in the ring, and we find out he’s due to be in a big fight tonight. Also at the side of the ring is Tom’s daughter, the short, tight permed hair/ poshly spoken daughter Betty(Rona Anderson)- she’s going to the flight, her dad asks who with, and we meet our thick/big brill creamed haired lead  Jim Bankley(Lee Patterson) a Canadian ex-service, who often works out at Walkers gym.

Anyway, Jim tells the hopeful Betty that he can’t make the fight and won’t be able to see her again, as he’s going to get a job.  We see  Jim trailing through some of the more low-rent streets of London, finally climbing the stairs to a clearly shady business- at first he’s attacked, and fights back, finally getting to meet his old service friend Buddy(Robert Arden).

It turns out Buddy works for Italian mob boss Rico Francesi (Martin Benson)- who has his hand in fixing boxing matches, dog and horse racing. Jim starts working for Rico, the night Bill is accidentally killed by one of the mob's heavies- but his murders kept hush-hush, so when Inspector Collis (Peter Burton) turns up at the mob offices, he can truthfully say he knows nothing.

As things unfold, Richo’s dark haired/ piercing eyed sister Bella (Faith Domergue) takes a liking to Bill. And we shift from crowded market street money drop-offs, shady dealings/ set-ups at the dog track & horse racing course, a tense warehouse showdown, car chases from the city out into the country, etc.

All the cast is well enough picked- sure, Benson very much plays up to Italian character cliches, and Domergue as his sister doesn’t sound even vaguely Italian. But the film nicely gallops along, as Bill gets pulled deeper and deeper into the mob.

I’d say Spin A Dark Web is true-blue British noir and is one of the highlights on this boxset.

The only new extra for this film is a commentary from academic and film curator Eloise Ross. She starts by talking about how the film's opening credits set the viewer up for the liveliness of some of its locations. She introduces actors as they appear- giving brief bios. She discusses the noir trope of the lone masculine figure- how it’s used in this and other films. She points out Soho locations, touching briefly on prostitution in the area, as well as touching on other noirs filmed in the area. We find out that the film's shooting was split between Middlefield Studios in Walton-on-Thames and London locations. She talks about what’s distinctive about British noir, and touches on other notable locations. Later on, she discusses how the phone is used in the film, and other noir pictures that use the trope. She talks about the career of Faith Domergue- we find out she was a prodigy of Howard Hues, and started acting at the age of fifteen. All in a decent track.

On the archive side, we have The BEHP Interview with Vernon Sewell (76 mins): a 1994 audio recording, featuring the director in conversation with Roy Fowler. Original US theatrical trailer. A Test for Love (29 mins): a 1937 dramatized public information film about the dangers of venereal diseases, which provided an early directorial credit for Sewell. Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials

 

 

Next up is 1957’s The Long Haul- it blends elements of melodrama, noir, and off-road adventure. It regards a retired US serviceman, who ends up in the UK, getting involved with a crime syndicate connected to the trucking industry. The film features American actor Victor Mature and Britain's blond bombshell, Diana Dors

It was directed/ co-written by Liverpool-born Ken Hughes, who helmed the third film in this set, Wicked As They Come. He had twenty-three credits to his name. These went from Sci-fi thriller The Brain Machine (1955), comedy musical Jazz Boat (1960), globetrotting adventure/ family fantasy/musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), and slasher Night School (1981).

The film opens in Germany, where thick brill-creamed haired US serviceman Harry Miller (Victor Mature) has finished his service- he’s eager to get back stateside, as he has a job waiting for him. But his dark-haired/ terminally glum English wife Connie(Gene Anderson) wants to go back to her home to Liverpool for a few months- he agrees with he, she, and their young G-whizz son Butch( Michael Wade) head back to the UK.

Harry manages to get a job in a haulage company, driving up to Glasgow. For his first run he’s following woollen-hated/ constantly swigging from his hipflask Irishman Casey( Liam Redmond). On their way up country, they stop at a truck stop, and as Harry gets a coffee, Casey is chatting with two shady-suited characters, and fairly soon it becomes clear that Casey is offloading some of his cargo to the gangsters, with Harry throwing a few punches at the men as they are unloading the truck.

When they get to Glasgow, due to Harry’s actions, he can’t get a haulage to carry back to Liverpool. So he follows the two gangsters from the truck to the offices of crewcut, cigar-chomping, hot-headed crooked Hauge firm owner Joe Easy(Patrick Allen). Harry gets beaten up and thrown into a back alley, to be found by Joe’s moll, Lynn (Diana Dors)

As the film unfolds, Harry carries on with his job, trying to stay on the straight and narrow- but it becomes more difficult, and added into the mix we have a growing spark between him & Lynn.

The pictures blend of noir and melodrama is well realised, with both sides of the coin being effective. As we get deeper into the runtime, we have punch-ups, burning runaway trucks, and a quite tense off-road trek over mountains/ rivers.

Acting-wise, initially, Mature feels a little stiff, but as time goes on, he seems to get into his role, with a decent range of acting emotions.  Dors has a great screen presence, with some quite believable, fraught moments. But I’d say the highlight here is Allen, as the unpredictable haulage firm owner.

The Long Haul is a most engaging cross blend between melodrama and noir, with a decent pace, and some neat twists/surprises along its length.

On the new extras side for this film, we get a commentary track with film historians Will Fowler and Vic Pratt. They begin by discussing the rainy open credits and how they tie into the noir genre. They comment on actress Gene Anderson's expressive face, and we find out sadly that her career was rather short. They point out the duffel coat is wearing Victor Mature- touching on how it was very much a coat of both the working man & the 1950’s.  They discuss whether cinematic noir is purely an American genre, and if the film to hand is a good example of the UK take on the genre. They touch on Mature’s career/ life during this time; apparently, he had just left his wife and finished his studio contract, going freelance.  They talk about how fantastic Doris Day looks in the film, though everyone else in the film looks rather drab/ glum, moving on to comment on her career during this time. They touch on notable things that happened in the year 1957. Later on, they discuss Doris's attempt to break into Hollywood. They comment on the lovely, ragged location shots. Briefly touching on the dislike during the time of American’s GI’s during this time. Compare the book the film was based on to the finished film.  All in all, an excellent and well-observed track.

On the archive side, we have: In for the Long Haul (9.40): a 2010 interview with third assistant director Ted Wallis and focus puller Alec Burridge. The Long Night Haul (19.40):  a 1956 short film about British Road Service’s general haulage truck division, produced by British Transport Films. Original theatrical trailer, and Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials

 

 

The sixth and final film in the set is 1957’s Fortune Is a Woman (aka She Played with Fire). This focuses on an insurance assessor, who, when visiting a grand gothic mansion, meets an old flame- who might be involved in fraud, and even murder.  This is a rewarding mystery-focused noir, with light touches of melodrama and comedy, as well as slight nods towards gothic horror.

The film was directed/ co-written by Stockport born Sidney Gilliat. Between the early 40’s and 70’s, he had a total of thirteen features to his name. These included blitz set whodunit Green for Danger (1946), musical biopic Gilbert and Sullivan (1953), romantic comedy Left Right & Centre (1959),  and Agatha Christie-penned psycho-thriller Endless Night(1972).

The picture opens like it’s going to be some sort of gothic horror film, as we get a male voiceover talking in very dread-filled tones about the first time he visited a country house. We get POV shots of a car going down the nighttime drive, up to the front door, it opens, we see a low haze of mist inside- we go in, and up to a painting of the house- before closing in.

As we get into things, the gothic horror tone fades (save for a few moments). It opens on Christmas Eve, as we see wavey Brill creamed-haired insurance assessor Oliver Branwell (Jack Hawkins) being sent from his offices in London to a house in the countryside for one last job before the holiday. It’s, of course, the building we saw at the beginning of the film- there has been a small fire upstairs with a few paintings damaged- and he’s shown to it by the house's friendly/ but asthma-afflicted owner Tracey Moreton (Dennis Price).

After finishing writing up his paperwork, Oliver comes back downstairs, and is introduced to Tracey’s wife, Sarah- played Minneapolis born Arlene Dahl, who is this role, rather reminded me of Nicole Kidman. It’s clear the pair know each other, and after he’s back in London, Oliver tracks down Sarah outside her work. We find out that she left him some five or so years back, when they were both living in Hong Kong- he’s still very much in love with her, but she seemingly wants to leave the past in the past.

As the film unfolds, doubt is put into the insurance claim, the painting from the opening credits turns up with a mystery, another fire occurs, and seemingly someone is murdered.

The film's a well-plotted affair- with some rewarding twists along the way- you're left until right at the end to have the film's mysteries revealed. Both of our leads have great/believable chemistry, with a good selection of the supporting characters- there is even a very brief cameo from none other than Christopher Lee, as Welsh actor with a black eye.

All in all, Fortune Is a Woman is a most entertaining mystery-focused noir, with both a great script, decent acting, and some most rewarding twists. A great end to this set.

The disc takes in two presentations of the film: as Fortune Is a Woman, with the original UK title sequence; and as She Played with Fire, with the US titles.

We get a new audio commentary with film historians Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby. They open by discussing the film's open gothic horror tone. Touching on the appearance of the Lloyds building in London, and where it’s moved to now. They mention that you could see the whole film as a nightmare, the lead character can’t wake up from. They discuss bit part actors- giving bios.  Point out a moment of American pronunciation. They comment on the1930 novel, the film was based on- talking about the differences. They talk about Christopher Lee's appearance, and we find out shortly after this appearance that he went on to his breakthrough part in The Curse of Frankenstein. They quote from reviews of the time, and touch on the film's poster art. Later on, they talk about the publishing history of the novel, which started off being serialised. They talk about the film's score and its composer, William Alwyn. All in all, another excellent track from these two track pros- which I will play again.

On the archive side, we have the following: The BEHP Interview with Anthony Mendleson (95 mins): a 1993 audio recording, featuring the costume designer in conversation with Linda Wood and Dave Robson. This Little Ship (12.00): a 1952 documentary short film about the UK’s first nuclear weapons test, narrated by Fortune Is a Woman star Jack Hawkins. Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials.

 

The finished set comes with a one-hundred-and-twenty-page book with new essays by Jonathan Bygraves, Andrew Spicer, Pamela Hutchinson, Robert Murphy, Chloe Walker, and Bethan Roberts, extensive archival articles and interviews, new writing on the various short films, and film credits.

This seventh edition in the Columbia Noir series is another corker. With a great selection of different types of cinematic noir, with lovely new scans throughout, and excellent extras. This set is limited to just 6,000 individually numbered units....so don't hang around!.