Impact ** (1963, Conrad Phillips, George Pastell, Ballard Berkeley, John Rees, Linda Marlowe, Anita West, Mike Pratt) – Classic Movie Review 13,772

The 1963 British black and white crime filler thriller Impact is written by director Peter Maxwell and star Conrad Phillips, is set in the noir worlds of the newspaper office and the seedy nightclub, and works on the classic theme of vengeance.

Director Peter Maxwell’s 1963 Butcher’s Film Service British black and white crime filler thriller Impact is written by Maxwell and its star Conrad Phillips, set in the noir worlds of the newspaper office and the seedy nightclub, and working on the classic theme of vengeance. In this case, one man’s vengeance leads inevitably to another’s.

Phillips stars as jailed crime reporter Jack Moir, who, while serving a two-year prison sentence in Wandsworth Scrubs, plans his revenge against the man who kidnapped and framed him for robbery – crooked Soho nightclub owner The Duke (George Pastell), who was seeking vengeance for incriminating newspaper articles Moir wrote about him. On his release, Moir embarks on a scheme to best the villain and clear his name, with the help of his former cellmate Charlie Wright (John Rees).

With The Duke framing the Evening Record crime reporter Moir like this, didn’t The Duke plan ahead and wonder what Moir would do when he got out of jail? Admittedly, he has a network of crooks and goons, as well as a security system in his office, around to protect him.

The plot is interesting, entirely serviceable, even quite engrossingly unusual in places, covering a lot of ground in an hour. But there is not enough conviction in the writing, and hardly a production value in sight, in this rather faded and somewhat tatty old British filler thriller –  still being used as a filler, now on late-night TV and of course on Talking Pictures.

The support cast is little known and apparently inexperienced, but Conrad Phillips, George Pastell, and Ballard Berkeley as Moir’s news editor boss Bill MacKenzie give their usual brisk and capable turns, held back only by some unconvincing dialogue and some unconvincing scenes to perform. The female roles are less well written, and Linda Marlowe as Moir’s girlfriend Diana Travers, Anita West as nightclub singer/ crook’s moll Melanie Calf and Jean Trend as Hilda the newspaper office secretary are way less convincing than the three main actors.

It just goes to show how difficult it was to tell a feature length crime drama in an hour on a tiny budget and a mini shooting schedule. This one is arguably good enough, but the best ones are great.

Cast: Conrad Phillips as Jack Moir, George Pastell as Sebastian “The Duke” Dukelow, Ballard Berkeley as Bill MacKenzie, Richard Klee as Wally Wheeler, Linda Marlowe as Diana Travers, Mike Pratt as Detective Sergeant, Anita West as Melanie Calf, Don Barkham as constable, Desmond Cullum-Jones as as prison warder, Edward Ogden as Maury Parfitt, Frank Pettitt as Sid the foreman, Jean Trend as Hilda the secretary, Cecil Waters as Jules, John Rees as Charlie Wright.

It is Anita West’s film debut. Anita West (born 30 November 1934) was co-host of TV’s Blue Peter for only 16 editions, quitting because of her imminent divorce (in 1962) from the musician Ray Ellington.

Impact is directed by Peter Maxwell, runs 62 minutes, is made and released by Butcher’s Film Service, is written by Peter Maxwell and Conrad Phillips (story and screenplay), is shot in black and white by Gerald Moss, is produced by John I Phillips and Ronald Liles, is scored by Johnny Gregory, and is designed by Harry White.

It was shot at MGM British Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, with location shooting at Bricket Wood, Hertfordshire, England, and at Bricket Wood railway station. In today’s era, the station building is being developed into a re-creation of its original appearance to become a village hub and meeting room, as well as a station. If only there were more location shooting…

It was released in the UK on the Rank circuit as the supporting film to Father Came Too.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,772

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