Wednesday 12 July 2023

Three Steps to the Gallows (1953 John Gilling)

Scott Brady disembarks from ship in London to meet his brother, who it turns out is in prison on murder charge. He didn't do it, of course, and Gilling at least bothers to place Monty Berman's camera all over London as he attempts to find out, with the help and forceful hindrance of Mary Castle, John Blythe (the son in This Happy Breed), Gabrielle Brune, Colin Tapley, Julian Somers, other unknown people. It's pretty routine stuff, and involves diamond smuggling. Everything looks older than 1953, a sign that the war stopped time until the sixties.

The fights are terribly choreographed.

An independent Tempean Films Production, interiors filmed at Southall Studios. They later produced The Saint TV series. It took a while to track down, but 'quota quickies' didn't come to an end until 1960, and thus this almost certainly qualifies as one.

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