''Breakout'' is a 1959 British crime drama film directed by

Peter Graham Scott Peter Graham Scott (27 October 1923 – 5 August 2007) was an English television producer, television and film producer, television director, film director, Film editing, film editor and screenwriter. He was one of the producers and directors wh ...

and starring

Lee Patterson Lee Patterson (March 31, 1929 – February 14, 2007) was a Canadian film and television actor. British career He moved to the UK, where he specialised in playing virile American types in British films. He appeared in a number of films during ...

, Hazel Court and Terence Alexander. It was written by Peter Barnes based on the 1959 novel ''Breakout'' by Frederick Oughton.

Plot

Arkwright is a fraudster serving a seven-year prison sentence. He gets word to his contact Chandler that he wants out. Chandler and his partner Farrow contract George Munro to organise the job of springing Arkwright. Munro hatches a plan involving a rigged delivery van.

Cast

as George Munro * Hazel Court as Rita Arkwright * Terence Alexander as Steve Farrow * William Lucas as Chandler * John Paul as Arkwright *

Billie Whitelaw Billie Honor Whitelaw (6 June 1932 – 21 December 2014) was an English actress. She worked in close collaboration with Irish playwright Samuel Beckett for 25 years and was regarded as one of the foremost interpreters of his works. She was als ...

as Rose Munro * Dermot Kelly as O'Quinn * Estelle Brody as Maureen O'Quinn *

Rupert Davies Rupert Lisburn Gwynne Davies FRSA (22 May 191622 November 1976) was a British actor best remembered for playing the title role in the BBC's 1960s television adaptation of ''Maigret'', based on Georges Simenon's novels. Life and career Milit ...

as Morgan * Lloyd Lamble as Inspector * Neil McCarthy as getaway driver (uncredited) * George Woodbridge as landlord (uncredited)

Production

The film was shot at

Beaconsfield Studios Beaconsfield Film Studios is a British Television studio, television and Film studio, film studio in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. The studios were operational as a production site for films in 1922, and continued producing films - and, later, ...

. Location shooting took place in the West End area of

Aldershot Aldershot ( ) is a town in the Rushmoor district, Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme north-east corner of the county, south-west of London. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Farnborough/Aldershot built-up are ...

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...

. The gates of the East Cavalry Barracks on Barrack Road stood in for the prison gates used in the breakout. Other scenes were filmed in

Uxbridge Uxbridge () is a suburban town in west London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon, northwest of Charing Cross. Uxbridge formed part of the parish of Hillingdon in the county of Middlesex. As part ...

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 until April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those wi ...

'' wrote: "This moderately tense crime thriller distracts attention from the improbability of the escape preparations by skilful handing of background and detail. Although there is an intermittently successful attempt to build up Monro as a convincing character, the other figures all come from stock." ''

Picturegoer ''Picturegoer'' was a fan magazine published in the United Kingdom between 1911 and 23 April 1960. Background The magazine was started in 1911 under the name ''The Pictures'' and in 1914 it merged with ''Picturegoer''. Following the merge it was ...

'' wrote: "For the sake of British second features, let's hope Lee Patterson never gets into the big-star bracket. Once again, he brings a firm, dramatic assurance to the character of an escape expert engaged to plan the break-out from prison of a confidence trickster. Cleverly contrived and plausibly executed, it's a more-than-usually exciting film. The brisk acting of Patterson, William Lucas, Terence Alexander and Hazel Court skilfully disguises any weakness in the characterization."' '' Picture Show'' called the film an: "ingenious thriller", adding "the story calls for action, pace and a good climax and the film has all three. Interesting entertainment." In ''British Sound Films'' David Quinlan called the film a "quite exciting vest-pocket thriller with edgy performances."

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0224679 1959 films 1959 drama films 1950s English-language films Films directed by Peter Graham Scott British drama films 1950s British films English-language drama films