Displaying items by tag: John Gregson

CAIRO ROAD

UK, 1950, 95 minutes, Black and white.

Eric Portman, Laurence Harvey Harold Lang, Gregoire Aslan, Karl Stepanek, John Gregson, Marne Maitland, Abraham Sofaer.

Directed by David McDonald.

With the British film industry building itself after World War II, a number of action features were filmed on location. They drew on the talented cast of British supporting players, veterans like Eric Portman and emerging stars, as here, Laurence Harvey and John Gregson.

Filming was done in Egypt. However, the very British leads were meant to be Egyptian police authorities (with British accents). Eric Portman could always show that he was in command of the situation, serious-minded, clear diction, often relentless. Laurence Harvey, in an early film, played the earnest subordinate, eager to please, continually making mistakes.

The central theme is drug running, interesting from a later point of view to see drugs and dealers in the earlier part of the 20^th century.

There is a murder of businessman, police investigations, the raid on a ship, various chases, two guilty brothers, turning on each other, more murders and then the solution.

1. Title and the focus of Egypt’s, Egypt 1950, location photography and atmosphere, black-and-white photography? The musical score?
2. The drug situation, the role of the police, personalities, methods, local, international connections? The range of drug dealers, their backgrounds, local, international?
3. Eric Portman as the commander, age, experience, manner, his attitude towards his assistant, the other members of staff, expectations? In action, shrewd, follow through, investigations?
4. Laurence Harvey as the newcomer, married, from Paris, eager to please, his theories, putting them into action, his mistakes, the stealing of the vehicle, often with success?
5. The range of local characters, businessmen, the murders, the brothers, one in prison, the ship, the captain of the ship, the surveillance by the Coast Guard and personnel?
6. The details of the transport of the drugs, by ship, by road, camels…?
7. Struggles within the group, controls, betrayals, murders, mistakes? And the final solution?

THE FRIGHTENED CITY

UK, 1961, 97 minutes, Black-and-white.

Herbert Lom, Sean Connery, John Gregson, Alfred Marks, Yvonne Romain.

Directed by John Lemont.

The Frightened City is in the early 1960s, a shift in some British films to black-and-white, crime features, corruption, especially in London, films like Expresso Bongo.

The screenplay takes protection rackets in London very seriously, references to Chicago mobs but this time a focus on the police, their pessimism about what was happening to the city, their work, and the presentation of the criminals but in no way glamourising them.

Herbert Lom plays a suave accountant, an influencer and mastermind. John Gregson plays the very serious-minded police inspector. Alfred Marks is a confident criminal, not presented as likeable in any way. Yvonne Romain is a singer.

But, the main interest is in Sean Connery, who had been in films and television for many years but was emerging as a more prominent actor, this film appearing the year before his first James Bond film, Dr No.

1. A thriller of its time. Black-and-white, city crime, police, protection rackets? Comparisons with American films, reference to Chicago?
2. The situation in London, 1960s, criminals, protection rackets, thugs causing havoc in shops and restaurants, proprietors paying protection? The role of the police, confronting criminals, the arrests?
3. Inspector Sayers, his team, serious minded, desperate about the situation in London? Interrogations, confrontations, confessions, persuasion? The other members of the team?
4. Waldo, accountant, money matters, schemes, his connections, suave manner, treatment of his secretary, his promotion of Anya, going to the club, her job? His connections, Harry, the protection racket, the interview with Paddy, the transition to injection for big companies, building sites…?
5. Harry, criminal activities, the range of thugs, some old-fashioned, codes, the scenes of upset in restaurants, the owners, the havoc, paying protection? Not informing the police?
6. Anya, documentation, singing, Waldo and the relationship, the nightclubs, singers, dancers, rehearsals, her success? The encounter with Paddy, the relationship?
7. Paddy, a Sean Connery character, petty thief, his partner and his injuries, approached by Harry, interviewed by Waldo, his phone calls, persuasion, at the restaurant, the fake fight, getting protection money? His advice for the protection money from companies, the interviews, suave manner? Seeing Anya, his friendship with Sadie, the relationship, his being used for the killing of the old-time criminal, his reaction, his former partner supporting him to tell the truth, with Inspector Sayers, the pressure, his setting up Waldo, setting up Harry, the final fight, deaths, arrests? The influence of Sadie?
8. The protection rackets of the past, the American models, continuous protection in later decades, bikie gangs, corrupt union officials …?
9. The dialogue from Inspector Sayers and the very serious minded perspective on crime and criminals rather than sensationalist action films?