Gaolbreak
Gaolbreak is a 1962 British crime film directed by Francis Searle and starring Peter Reynolds, Avice Landone and Carol White.[1]
| Gaolbreak | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Francis Searle |
| Written by | A.R. Rawlinson |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Ken Hodges |
| Edited by | Jim Connock |
| Music by | Johnny Gregory |
Production company | Butcher's Film Service |
| Distributed by | Butcher's Film Distributors |
Release date | April 1962 |
Running time | 61 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The film was released as a supporting feature to Tiara Tahiti.
Plot
A family of thieves plan a jewellery store robbery. One of them is the safecracking expert, and when he is arrested and jailed, they spring him from prison so he can take part in the job.
Cast
- Peter Reynolds as Eddie Wallis
- Avice Landone as Mrs. Wallis
- David Kernan as Len Rogerson
- Carol White as Carol Marshall
- John Blythe as Slim
- David Gregory as Ron Wallis
- Robert Desmond as Page
- Stewart Guidotti as John
- Geoffrey Hibbert as Dr. Cambus
- Robert Fyfe as Wally
- Carl Bernard as Inspector Brand
- Katharine Page as Mrs. Harris
- Sidney Vivian as Mr. Marshall
- Marianne Stone as Mrs. Marshall
- Ivor Dean as Barrington
- André Mikhelson as Martinetti
- Middleton Woods as Jonah
- Reginald Hearne as Auctioneer
- Edward Ogden as Det. Sgt. Johnson
- Frank Hawkins as Prison Officer
- Neil Wilson as Beat PC
- Jack Taylor as Uniformed Policeman
- John H. Watson as 2nd Uniformed Policeman
- Michael Beint as 2nd Prison Officer
- Laurie Leigh as Shirley
- Angela Ramsden as Hazel
Production
The film was made by Butcher's Film Service, which specialised in producing low-budget supporting films. It was shot at Twickenham Studios in West London, and on location. A collection of then-and-now location stills and corresponding contemporary photographs is hosted at reelstreets.com.[2] The film's sets were designed by the art director Duncan Sutherland.
Reception
According to one writer, "The presence of a young Carol White... cannot compensate for the film’s flat and sluggish direction, a script that would be embarrassingly simplistic in a children’s matinee and two of the least-threatening villains in screen history (a newsagent and his mum).[3]
References
- Chibnall & Murphy p.101
- "Gaolbreak, The". ReelStreets. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- British crime cinema. Routledge. 1999. p. 98.
Bibliography
- Chibnall, Steve & Murphy, Robert. British Crime Cinema. Routledge, 2005.