''Dancing with Crime'' is a 1947 British

film noir Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...

film directed by

John Paddy Carstairs John Paddy Carstairs (born John Keys; 11 May 1910, in London – 12 December 1970, in London) was a British film director (1933–62) and television director (1962–64), usually of light-hearted subject matter. He was also a comic novelist and ...

, starring

Richard Attenborough Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough (; 29 August 192324 August 2014) was an English actor, film director, and Film producer, producer. Attenborough was the president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the British Acade ...

, Barry K. Barnes and

Sheila Sim Sheila Beryl Grant Sim, Baroness Attenborough (5 June 1922 – 19 January 2016) was an English film and theatre actress. She was also the wife of the actor, director and peer Richard Attenborough. Career Sheila Beryl Grant Sim was born in Li ...

. A man hunts down the killer of his lifelong friend.

Plot

Boyhood friends and later comrades in the Army, Ted Peters and Dave Robinson are back in civvies. Ted becomes a taxi driver and hopes to marry Joy Goodall, a pretty

chorus girl A chorus line is a large group of dancers who together perform synchronized routines, usually in musical theatre. Sometimes, singing is also performed. While synchronized dancing indicative of a chorus line was vogue during the first half of th ...

. Dave, seeking easy money, joins a criminal gang headed by Mr Gregory, which has its headquarters in a suburban palais-de-danse. Dave is shot by Paul Baker, Gregory's right-hand man, and staggers, fatally wounded, into the back of Ted's taxicab while Ted is away. When Ted returns to find Dave's body in his cab, he resolves to find the murderer. Ted suspects Baker, so Joy becomes a hostess at the gang's nightclub, to do some snooping. They bring about the downfall of the gang.

Cast

as Ted Peters * Barry K. Barnes as Paul Baker *

as Joy Goodall *

Garry Marsh Garry Marsh (21 May 1902 – 6 March 1981) was an English stage and film actor. Biography Born Leslie March Gerahty on 21 May 1902 in St Margarets, Middlesex, his parents were George and Laura. His elder brothers were the author Digby George ...

as Detective Sergeant Murray * John Warwick as Inspector Carter * Judy Kelly as Toni Masters * Barry Jones as Mr. Gregory * Bill Owen as Dave Robinson *

Cyril Chamberlain Cyril Chamberlain (8 March 1909 – 30 April 1974) was an English film and television actor. He appeared in a number of the early '' Carry On'', '' Doctor'' and '' St. Trinian's'' films. Chamberlain's first film appearance was in the 1936 Mich ...

as Sniffy * Peter Croft as Johnny *

Dirk Bogarde Sir Dirk Bogarde (born Derek Jules Gaspard Ulric Niven van den Bogaerde; 28 March 1921 – 8 May 1999) was an English actor, novelist and screenwriter. Initially a matinée idol in films such as ''Doctor in the House (film), Doctor in the Hous ...

as police radio caller (uncredited) * Patricia Dainton as Pam (uncredited) *

Diana Dors Diana Dors (born Diana Mary Fluck; 23 October 19314 May 1984) was an English actress and singer. Dors came to public notice as a Bombshell (slang), blonde bombshell, much in the style of Americans Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, and Mamie Van ...

as Annette (uncredited) * Danny Green as Sid (uncredited) *

Bartlett Mullins Bartlett Mullins (13 August 1904 – 15 May 1992) was a British actor. Career He is best remembered by British TV viewers as Mr Clough ''"Cloughie"'', Bob and Terry's workmate in the sitcom ''The Likely Lads''. He also appeared on episodes of ' ...

as club barman (uncredited) *

John Salew John Rylett Salew (28 February 1902 (some sources state 1 January 1897)14 September 1961) was an English stage film and TV actor. Salew made the transition from stage to films in 1939, and according to Allmovie, "the manpower shortage during W ...

as Pogson (uncredited) *

Dennis Wyndham Dennis Wyndham (15 January 1887 – 19 August 1973) was a South African born stage and film actor. Long based in Britain, he appeared in more than 40 films between 1920 and 1956. He was born in Natal, South Africa. On 23 May 1917, he married El ...

as Sam (uncredited)

Production

Attenborough was borrowed from the Boulting Brothers. He and Sheila Sim were married in real life; this was their first movie together. The film was shot at Southall Studios with sets designed by the

art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...

Andrew Mazzei. Filming was difficult due to the freezing cold weather.

Critical reception

Kine Weekly ''Kinematograph Weekly'', popularly known as ''Kine Weekly'', was a trade paper catering to the British film industry between 1889 and 1971. Etymology The word Kinematograph was derived from the Greek ' Kinumai ', (to move, to be in motion, to ...

'' said "Robust gangster comedy melodrama, set around a London palais de danse.The plot is tackled with infectious and disarming enthusiasm by a well-chosen cast and set in convincing and colourful atmosphere. The direction is artfully tongue-in-the-cheek. Good fun and no mean thriller." ''

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 ...

'' said "Set against a background of unfashionable London streets, warehouses and the chromium-plated dance-hall, the film bears evidence of capable direction. Its characters are plausible, except for the incredulous detectives, and the actors on the guilty side, headed by Barry Jones and Barry K. Barnes, who are unpleasantly convincing. For the innocents, Richard Attenborough makes a likeable Ted and is modestly partnered by Sheila Sim. A full measure." ''Variety'' called it "fashioned on formula grounds." In ''British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959'' David Quinlan rated the film as "good", writing: "Not exactly convincing, but a confident piece of filmcraft."

Leslie Halliwell Robert James Leslie Halliwell (23 February 1929 – 21 January 1989) was a British film critic, encyclopaedist and television rights buyer for ITV, the British commercial network, and Channel 4. He is best known for his reference guides, '' Fi ...

wrote: "Tolerable post-war melodrama aping Hollywood." ''The

Radio Times ''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...

Guide to Films'' gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "Real-life newlyweds Richard Attenborough and Sheila Sim co-star in this stark crime quickie, which also marks the feature debut of Dirk Bogarde as a bobby on the beat. ..With Sim going undercover at the local dance hall, the film will evoke memories of Saturday nights gone by."

References

External links

*
Dancing with Crime
at Letterbox DVD {{John Paddy Carstairs 1947 films 1947 crime films British crime films Films shot at Southall Studios Films set in London Films directed by John Paddy Carstairs Films scored by Benjamin Frankel Paramount Pictures films British black-and-white films 1940s English-language films 1940s British films English-language crime films