''Dangerous Cargo'' is a 1954 British black and white second feature ('B')

crime film Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as Drama (film and television), dr ...

directed by John Harlow starring

Jack Watling Jack Stanley Watling (13 January 1923 – 22 May 2001) was an English actor. Life and career Watling was born 13 January 1923 in Chingford, Essex, England. The son of a travelling scrap metal dealer, Watling trained at the Italia Conti Academy ...

, Susan Stephen and

Karel Stepanek Karel may refer to: People * Karel (given name) * Karel (surname) * Charles Karel Bouley (born 1962), American talk radio personality known on air as Karel * Christiaan Karel Appel (1921–2006), Dutch painter and sculptor Business * Karel Elec ...

. The film was written by ''

Daily Express The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first ...

'' crime reporter

Percy Hoskins Percy Kellick Hoskins (28 December 1904 – 5 February 1989) was the chief crime reporter for the British newspaper the ''Daily Express'' in the 1950s. He also provided stories for radio and television crime shows, such as Whitehall 1212 (radio s ...

and Stanley Haynes, and produced by Haynes for ACT Films.

Plot

Security man Tim Matthews works at London Airport. His wartime friend Harry, now a criminal working for master crook Pliny, tricks him into owing money to a bookie by giving him tips on dog races controlled by the gang, where he consistently wins, then one final, false tip, which leaves Tim owing much more money than he can repay. The criminals demand to know details of gold shipments coming through the airport and when he refuses, they beat him up and threaten his wife Janie, and he gives them the details. The couple enlist the aid of their friend Noel, and inform the police, who let the robbery plan unfold, with undercover officers taking the place of all the staff but Tim and Noel. When the gang get to the airport to steal the gold, the police are waiting.

Cast

as Tim Matthews * Susan Stephen as Janie Matthews *

as Pliny * Richard Pearson as Noel *

Terence Alexander Terence Joseph Alexander (11 March 1923 – 28 May 2009) was an English film and television actor, best known for his role as Charlie Hungerford in the British TV drama '' Bergerac'', which ran for nine series on BBC1 between 1981 and 1991. Ea ...

as Harry *

John Le Mesurier John Le Mesurier (, born John Elton Le Mesurier Halliley; 5 April 191215 November 1983) was an English actor. He is probably best remembered for his comedic role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the BBC television situation com ...

as Luigi *

Ballard Berkeley Ballard Blascheck (6 August 1904 – 16 January 1988), known professionally as Ballard Berkeley, was an English actor of stage and screen. He is best remembered for playing Major Gowen in the British television sitcom ''Fawlty Towers''. Life a ...

as Findley *

Genine Graham Genine Graham (9 December 1926 – 11 May 1997) was an English actress. She trained at LAMDA, and played the title role of the mermaid ''Miranda'' in the original West End production of Peter Blackmore's play, later filmed with Glynis Johns. Sh ...

as Diana *

John Longden John Longden (11 November 1900 – 26 May 1971) was a British film actor. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1926 and 1964, including six films directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Biography Longden was born in the West Indies, the son of ...

as Worthington *

Trevor Reid Trevor Reid (25 January 190816 April 1965) was an English actor. He was born in Liverpool, the son of David Reid and Grace Adelaide (née Thomas) at 25 Cheltenham Avenue near to Sefton Park. After leaving school he worked for four years at the L ...

as Watson * Arthur Rigby as Feathers * John H. Watson as Tomkins *

Arthur Mullard Arthur Ernest Mullard ( né Mullord; 19 September 1910His obituary in ''The Times'' gives his date of birth as 10 November 1910 but conflicts with the birthdate given in his death registration. His year of birth appears as 1908, 1910, 1912 and 19 ...

as thug

Production

The film was shot at

Walton Studios Walton Studios, previously named Hepworth Studios and Nettlefold Studios, was a film production studio in Walton-on-Thames in Surrey, England.London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

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 ...

Don Russell.

Critical reception

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: "A rather pedestrian "crook " story of a familiar type. Susan Stephen, as Janie Matthews, engagingly makes the most of a flimsy part." ''

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 ...

'' wrote: "Compact, skilfully carpentered romantic crime melodrama. ... Warm domestic byplay neatly balances the rough stuff and, together with authentic detail, contributes to a happy, thrill-packed climax. Women, as well as men, should find the lively capsule easy to swallow and digest ... Jack Watling thoroughly convinces as the true-blue, though completely ingenuous Tim, Susan Stephen makes an engaging Jane, and Karel Stcpanck is in his clement as the evil Pliny. Supporting players, too, are natural, Colourful dog racing and nightclub sequences effectively punctuate tender fireside scenes, and contrast subtly underlines the moral of the salutary closely knit tale." ''

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: "Crime and domesticity seldom make good partners, but in this lively little melodrama the marriage definitely proves fruitful. ... Jack Watling and Susan Staplen work smoothly and, together with a sound supporting cast, bring pathos and point to the play." In ''British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959'' David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Bright performances lift ordinary melodrama."

References

External links

* {{John Harlow 1954 films 1954 crime films British crime films Films directed by John Harlow Films set in London Films shot at Nettlefold Studios 1950s English-language films British black-and-white films 1950s British films English-language crime films