A Place to Go *** (1963, Rita Tushingham, Michael Sarne, Bernard Lee, Doris Hare, John Slater) – Classic Movie Review 9928

Director Basil Dearden’s 1963 crime drama A Place to Go is a good and gritty account of the seamy side of East London’s petty-crime underworld, with Sixties pop star Mike Sarne (‘Come Outside’) as the frustrated working-class youngster who turns to a life of crime.

Sarne plays Londoner Ricky Flint, an out-of-work Bethnal Green docker’s son, who joins in a heist on his cigarette factory warehouse with local gangster Jack Ellerman (John Slater) and gets his lorry driver brother-in-law Jim (David Andrews) to join in too. But, at the last minute, Jim decides he can’t risk his family’s future, so Ricky pinches Jim’s lorry and fills in for him.

Director Dearden’s direction is capable, while Rita Tushingham (as Ricky Flint’s quirky, independently minded girlfriend ‘Cat’, aka Catherine), and Doris Hare and Bernard Lee (as his parents) perform pleasantly, making it easy to ignore the dated morals and the slightly under-powered script.

Rita Tushingham in A Place to Go (1963).

Like many of the popular Brit kitchen-sink dramas of the period, it has worn well. There are some nostalgic views in the location shooting around Bethnal Green, and it is nice to see some good actors of the period, giving attractive performances. Tushingham is particularly appealing, lighting up every she did at this time. Michael Relph and Clive Exton’s screenplay is based on Michael Fisher’s 1961 novel Bethnal Green, typically with many changes.

Also in the cast are Barbara Ferris, Roy Kinnear, William Marlowe, David Andrews, Michael Wynne, Norman Shelley, Jerry Verno and Marjorie Lawrence.

A Place to Go is directed by Basil Dearden, runs 86 minutes, is made by Excalibur Films and British Lion Film Corporation, is released by Bryanston Films and British Lion Film Corporation (1963) (UK), and Continental Distributing (1964) (US), is written by Michael Relph and Clive Exton, based on Michael Fisher’s novel Bethnal Green, is shot in black and white by Reginald H Wyer, is produced by Michael Relph and Basil Dearden, and is scored by Charles Blackwell.

The greyhound racing scenes were shot at Clapton Greyhound Stadium (1928 to 1974). Pub scenes were filmed at The Acorn in Bethnal Green (demolished in 2019). There is also an exterior shot of The Angel in City Road, Islington.

It was released on DVD on 16 February 2009.

Mike Sarne went on to direct Myra Breckinridge (1970).

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9928

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