A Prize of Arms *** (1962, Stanley Baker, Tom Bell, Helmut Schmid, John Phillips, Tom Adams, Anthony Bate, Rodney Bewes) – Classic Movie Review 6327

The perfect crime goes astray- like it always does in the movies –  in director Cliff Owen’s 1961 realist British noir thriller starring Stanley Baker as Turpin, a dismissed army captain who plots revenge on the army by planning a heist of their payroll cash.

A young Tom Bell and Helmut Schmid co-star as Fenner and Swavek, Baker’s recruits to his scam. Rodney Bewes (27 November 1937 – 21 November 2017) plays Private Maynard in his feature-film debut and it is also the feature-film debut of Glynn Edwards (as breakdown truck crewman).

This pacy, well-made crime-caper thriller may offer few surprises but it is very entertaining and satisfying, and there is a particularly good cast of the day to watch out for.

Also in the cast are John Phillips, Tom Adams, Anthony Bate, Richard Bidlake, Mark Burns, Frank Coda, Michael Collins, Barry Keegan, Stephen Lewis, Fulton Mackay, Patrick Magee, Jack May, Roddy McMillan and Michael Ripper.

Paul Ryder’s screenplay is based on the story by Nicolas Roeg and Kevin Kavanagh.

It is shot in black and white by Gilbert Taylor and Gerald Gibbs, produced by George Maynard and scored by Bob Sharples.

Tom Bell (1933–2006).

Stephen Lewis (1926–2015).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6327

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