''Solo for Sparrow'' is a 1962 British second feature ('B') crime film directed by

Gordon Flemyng Gordon William Flemyng (7 March 1934 – 12 July 1995) was a Scottish director, producer and writer. He directed six theatrical features, several television movie, television films and numerous episodes of television series, some of which he als ...

and starring

Glyn Houston Glyndwr Desmond Houston (23 October 1925 – 30 June 2019) was a Welsh actor best known for his television work. He was the younger brother of film actor Donald Houston. Early life Houston was born at 10 Thomas Street, Tonypandy, Glamorgan, W ...

Anthony Newlands Anthony Newlands (31 January 1925, London – 6 October 1995), was a British actor, born Raymond Gordon Newland. His parents were Lilian Elizabeth (née Manning) and Frederick Stanley. Newland had two sisters: Jean Lillian Newland (born 24 J ...

and Nadja Regin, with

Michael Caine Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, 14 March 1933) is a retired English actor. Known for his distinct Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films over Michael Caine filmography, a career that spanned eight decades an ...

in an early supporting role. It was written by

Roger Marshall Roger Wayne Marshall (born August 9, 1960) is an American politician, physician, and former military officer serving as the junior United States senator from Kansas since 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he served from 2017 to 2021 as ...

based on the 1928

Edgar Wallace Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1 April 1875 – 10 February 1932) was a British writer of crime and adventure fiction. Born into poverty as an illegitimate London child, Wallace left school at the age of 12. He joined the army at age 21 and was ...

novel ''

The Gunner ''The Gunner'' is a 1928 crime novel by the British writer Edgar Wallace. Film adaptation In 1962 it was turned into the film '' Solo for Sparrow'', directed by Gordon Flemyng Gordon William Flemyng (7 March 1934 – 12 July 1995) was a Scot ...

,'' and produced by Jack Greenwood and Abhinandan Nikhanj as part of the

Edgar Wallace Mysteries The ''Edgar Wallace Mysteries'' is a British second-feature film series mainly produced at Merton Park Studios for Anglo-Amalgamated. There were 48 films in the series, which were released between 1960 and 1965. The series was screened as ''Th ...

series. The film was released in America in 1966, when the producers capitalised on Caine's new-found fame and released it with his name above the title.

Plot

Inspector Sparrow is a provincial detective. When crooks accidentally kill a shop cashier while stealing the keys to the jewellery shop where she works, Sparrow takes his annual leave and works on the case unofficially. He successfully tracks down the criminals and turns them over to Scotland Yard.

Cast

as Inspector Sparrow *

as Reynolds * Nadja Regin as Mrs. Reynolds * Michael Coles as 'Pin' Norman *

Allan Cuthbertson Allan Darling Cuthbertson (7 April 1920 – 8 February 1988) was an Australian actor. He was best known for playing stern-faced military officers in British films of the 1950s and 1960s. Early life Cuthbertson was born in Perth, Western Austra ...

as Chief Superintendent Symington *

Ken Wayne Ken Wayne (1925–1993) was an Australian actor of radio, theatre, film and television. Career Wayne made his film debut in ''Sons of Matthew'' (1949) and appeared in a number of movies including '' Dust in the Sun'' (1958). Wayne had a featu ...

as Baker * Jerry Stovin as Lewis *

Jack May Jack Wynne May (23 April 1922 – 19 September 1997) was an English actor. Early life and education May was born in 1922 in Henley-on-Thames, and was educated at Forest School in Walthamstow. After war service with the Royal Indian Navy in Br ...

as Inspector Hudson *

Murray Melvin Murray Melvin (10 August 1932 – 14 April 2023) was an English actor. A member of Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop company, he originated the part of Geoffrey in Shelagh Delaney's play '' A Taste of Honey'', reprising the role in Tony Richa ...

as Larkin * Peter Thomas as Bell *

as Mooney * Neil McCarthy as Dusty * Susan Maryott as Sue Warren *

William Gaunt William Charles Anthony Gaunt (born 3 April 1937 in Pudsey, West Riding of Yorkshire) is an English actor. He became widely known for television roles such as Richard Barrett in ''The Champions'' (1968–1969), Arthur Crabtree in '' No Place ...

as Detective Sergeant Reeve * Nancy O'Neil as Miss Martin *

Yvonne Buckingham Yvonne Buckingham (born 1937) is an English actress who appeared in a number of minor or background roles on episodes of British television series or in British films. She played the title role, though only briefly appearing as the deceased vi ...

as Jenny *

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 Mr. Walters *

Wanda Ventham Wanda Ventham (born 5 August 1935) is an English actress with many roles on British television since beginning her career in the 1950s. Ventham played Colonel Virginia Lake in the 1970s science-fiction television series '' UFO'' and had a rec ...

as waitress *

Eric Dodson Eric Norman Dodson (1 December 1920 – 13 January 2000) was an English actor born in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, who played many roles in films and on television. After amateur acting he joined the Royal Air Force in 1941. Following traini ...

as Dr. Wolfson

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: "Fairly routine case of crime and punishment in the Edgar Wallace series, with the sudden flashes of imagination that often redeem these purely commercial operations. Some of the minor crooks are quite skilfully drawn, and a starkly staged interview between Sparrow and a billiard-playing informer is conceived with a real flair for the sinister effect. The thrills are predictable, and the climactic rescue couldn't have been better timed if John Wayne were leading the U.S. Cavalry. But Glyn Houston gives a sturdy performance as Sparrow, and the whole thing is diverting enough."

References

External links

* 1962 films Edgar Wallace Mysteries 1962 crime drama films British crime drama films British black-and-white films Films directed by Gordon Flemyng 1960s English-language films 1960s British films English-language crime drama films {{1960s-drama-film-stub