Strongroom **** (1962, Colin Gordon, Ann Lynn, Derren Nesbitt, Keith Faulkner) – Classic Movie Review 12,833

The tense and tight 1962 British bank heist thriller film Strongroom stars Colin Gordon, Ann Lynn, Derren Nesbitt and Keith Faulkner.

Director Vernon Sewell’s commendably tense and tight 1962 British black and white B-movie bank heist thriller film Strongroom stars Colin Gordon, Ann Lynn, Derren Nesbitt, and Keith Faulkner.

Three small-time crooks – Griff (Derren Nesbitt), Len (Keith Faulkner) and Len’s brother Alec (W Morgan Sheppard) – plan a perfect robbery on a bank, just after closing time on the Saturday before an Easter Monday bank holiday.

But their actions take a potentially lethal turn when they are forced to imprison a couple of hostages in the vault – the stuffy bank manager Mr Spencer (Colin Gordon) and his secretary/ cashier Rose (Ann Lynn). Conscience-stricken and scared of murder convictions because they realise the bank will be closed for days and the duo will suffocate, they decide to leave the vault keys in a phone booth and call the police…

[Spoiler alert] While Alec drives off in the bank manager’s car to do this, Griff and Len make off in their van with the cash they have stolen. But back home, even as they have just finished counting the money, two policeman turn up to tell them Alec has been killed in a road accident. Griff decides they have to release Mr Spencer and Rose, or they risk being hanged for murder, but Len panics, initially refusing to help Griff free the two bank employees.

Director Sewell keeps this very effective, sweaty-palm little British B-movie tense and tight. It keeps moving, and stays engrossing throughout. Basil Emmott’s restless camera shots make the most to the cramped spaces, adding to the film’s sense of authenticity and gravity.

Nesbitt and Faulkner, and Gordon and Lynn, perform particularly smartly, both pairs of actors forming a credible double act. There are also several strong character actor turns, including Hilda Fenemore and Diana Chesney as the comedic bank charladies who arrive unexpectedly, Duncan Lewis as the adamant job’s worth of a mortuary attendant, John Dearth as the dogged police sergeant, and Lockwood West as the police inspector.

The odd-couple partnership here of Derren Nesbitt and Keith Faulkner is a reflection of the one they also relish in The Man In The Back Seat (1961). But, here, Nesbitt is unusually cast as the good guy of the pair of villains. The film spends some time developing their relationship. As ‘business partners’ and ‘friends’, they are certainly very close. It’s a crypto-homosexual relationship, with Nesbitt as the dominant partner. The Gordon and Lynn relationship is also developed nicely, with both characters getting increasing close, both emotionally and physically, as time (and air) starts to run out and they regret they way they ran their lives up till then.

Commendably, Sewell brings a touch of realism and urgency to an essentially far-fetched plot, nevertheless well devised by story writer Richard Harris. After a series of involved twists and turns, it even manages a credible surprise ending: a real shock actually, Wow!

It was shot at Twickenham Studios in November 1961 and released on 3 June 1962 (UK) and December 1962 (US). The film’s setting of the Eastern Counties Bank is shot at St Margaret’s Road, Twickenham, Greater London.

Vernon Sewell reviewed his own film: ‘a terrific movie’, and really he’s not far wrong.

Strongroom is directed by Vernon Sewell, runs 80 minutes, is made by Theatrecraft, is released by Bryanston Films (UK), is written by Max Marquis and Richard Harris, based on a story by Richard Harris, is shot in black and white by Basil Emmott, is produced by Guido Coen, is scored by Johnny Gregory, and is designed by Duncan Sutherland.

It cost only £17,000.

The cast

The cast are Derren Nesbitt as Griff, Colin Gordon as Mr Spencer, Ann Lynn as Rose Taylor, Keith Faulkner as Len Warren, W Morgan Sheppard [William Morgan Sheppard] as Alec Warren, Hilda Fenemore as charlady, Diana Chesney as charlady, Jack Stewart as Sergeant McIntyre, Colin Rix as P C Harper, Ian Colin as Creighton, John Chappell as John Musgrove, Pamela Conway as secretary, Colin Tapley as Haynes, Kevin Stoney as police sergeant, Duncan Lewis as mortuary attendant Charlie, John Dearth as Police Sergeant Hopkins, and Lockwood West as Police Inspector, Frank Seton as Gatekeeper, Anna Turner as Mrs. Snape, Keith Campbell as Snape.

Derren Nesbitt and Keith Faulkner also appear in Vernon Sewell’s The Man In The Back Seat (1961).

Derren Nesbitt (born Derren Michael Horwitz; 19 June 1935)

Other Brit heist movies include The League of Gentlemen, A Prize of Arms, Cash on Demand, The Good Die Young, Robbery, Payroll, The Lavender Hill Mob, The Ladykillers, and The Duke.

The Top 20 British heist movies:

The Top 20 British heist movies

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 12,833

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