The Long Arm (1956)

[Cartman]

I was scrolling through YouTube yesterday and came across excerpts from this very good film, starring the always watchable Jack Hawkins as a Scotland Yard detective. It was a procedural drama about the hunt for a safe breaker who killed a witness in his last job by running him over in the getaway car, a Ford Pilot. It was a very well filmed and cleverly plotted film I thought, and the 50s London locations were brilliant as always. The last time I saw it would have been when it was shown on TV when I wasn't very old, sometime in the mid/late 60s and I did remember it as it must have made an impression on me.

Another good film, also with Jack Hawkins, was the Intruder from 1953, which I also remember seeing at about the same time, George Cole was also in this, along with Michael Medwin, from Shoestring. In this one Jack Hawkins was an ex army officer who comes home to find a break in going on and the burglar is Michael Medwin, who was in his unit during the war. Rather than turn him in, he goes off to find out what had gone wrong in his life to send him on a life of crime.

I do like 50s British films, especially the locations, although I do find it a bit sad that we have lost so much 

[Vienna]

My late father would have enjoyed this film as Jack Hawkins was one of his favourite actors. I see there is a DVD available so I might give it a viewing in the near future 

Vi

[Charles Bronson]

Aug 1, 2019 17:02:37 GMT Cartman said:

I do like 50s British films, especially the locations, although I do find it a bit sad that we have lost so much 

Jack Hawkins  was indeed one of our  great actors Cartman. I love him in that ship battle scene in Ben Hur. I notice from Talking Pictures that he started appearing in films way back in the 30s. It's a shame he ended up having to be dubbed because of losing that wonderful voice because of throat cancer.

I can't get enough of those 50s and  early 60s Britsh crime films myself  absolutely love 'em.

You're so very right when you say we've lost a lot. Couldn't agree more with you. I was watching a colour newsreel documentary made in 1963 on YouTube yesterday, about a visit by the President of India being welcomed by the Queen at Waterloo Stn. It focused on his tour throughout the U.K. Its funny but people seemed to even look healthier then. I think we were a saner and more United country at that time.


Charles.

[Cartman]

He was a very good actor, particularly in stern, but fair and sympathetic authority figures, like police or army officers. Totally agree Charles, I have always thought Britain was at its most attractive and compelling between about the war and the early 80s

[Cartman]

The whole film was on TPTV earlier this week so I recorded it and rewatched it and it is really good. The locations are superb and what a fantastic place London was from the 50s to the 70s. The then new Royal Festival Hall also featured in the final scenes.

Some great 50s and earlier cars too, a mark 7 Jag, a Triumph Roadster like Bergerac drove, and a Ford Pilot.

Quite an interesting plot too, with a worker at a safe factory making duplicate keys then going back to open safes with them months later. One bit involved the Scotland yard detectives going to North Wales, and the taxi there was a superb pre war Rolls.

Recommended if it's on again