Payroll (1961)
DIRECTOR: Sidney Hayers (Circus of Horrors, Burn Witch Burn)
STARS: Michael Craig (Mysterious Island), Franchise Prevost (Spirits of the Dead), Billie Whitelaw (Twisted Nerve, Adding Machine), William Lucas, Kenneth Griffith, Tom Bell
SYNOPSIS: Here's a great British caper film that bridges the gap between older films like 1956's The Long Arm and more modern crime films like 1967's Robbery. A group of thieves hatch a plan to rob an armored truck with help from an inside source. During the excellent heist sequence two men end up dead including one of the guards. The guard's widow (Billie Whitelaw) reacts to the news not with sadness but with vengeance. While the crooks hide out and wait for the heat to die down, Whitelaw turns amateur detective and tries to track her husband's killers. It's surprising because the heist occurs about 30 minutes into the film so the bulk of the plot is the messy business of the criminals turning on each other, avoiding the cops and being exposed by Whitelaw. All the actors are fine including sexy femme fatale Prevost, tough-as-nails gang leader Craig and an intense Whitelaw almost stealing the show. The plot is filled with surprising twist and turns you won't see coming. This would make a great double bill with Blood Simple. The film has a gritty authenticity to it being shot mostly on location in small towns, dreary buildings, seedy streets and pubs. Many of the characters are also just downright mean. There's also a bouncy jazzy score that's very memorable. A great looking WIDESCREEN print. Recommended.
Widescreen / Black & White
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R
DIRECTOR: Sidney Hayers (Circus of Horrors, Burn Witch Burn)
STARS: Michael Craig (Mysterious Island), Franchise Prevost (Spirits of the Dead), Billie Whitelaw (Twisted Nerve, Adding Machine), William Lucas, Kenneth Griffith, Tom Bell
SYNOPSIS: Here's a great British caper film that bridges the gap between older films like 1956's The Long Arm and more modern crime films like 1967's Robbery. A group of thieves hatch a plan to rob an armored truck with help from an inside source. During the excellent heist sequence two men end up dead including one of the guards. The guard's widow (Billie Whitelaw) reacts to the news not with sadness but with vengeance. While the crooks hide out and wait for the heat to die down, Whitelaw turns amateur detective and tries to track her husband's killers. It's surprising because the heist occurs about 30 minutes into the film so the bulk of the plot is the messy business of the criminals turning on each other, avoiding the cops and being exposed by Whitelaw. All the actors are fine including sexy femme fatale Prevost, tough-as-nails gang leader Craig and an intense Whitelaw almost stealing the show. The plot is filled with surprising twist and turns you won't see coming. This would make a great double bill with Blood Simple. The film has a gritty authenticity to it being shot mostly on location in small towns, dreary buildings, seedy streets and pubs. Many of the characters are also just downright mean. There's also a bouncy jazzy score that's very memorable. A great looking WIDESCREEN print. Recommended.
Widescreen / Black & White
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R
DIRECTOR: Sidney Hayers (Circus of Horrors, Burn Witch Burn)
STARS: Michael Craig (Mysterious Island), Franchise Prevost (Spirits of the Dead), Billie Whitelaw (Twisted Nerve, Adding Machine), William Lucas, Kenneth Griffith, Tom Bell
SYNOPSIS: Here's a great British caper film that bridges the gap between older films like 1956's The Long Arm and more modern crime films like 1967's Robbery. A group of thieves hatch a plan to rob an armored truck with help from an inside source. During the excellent heist sequence two men end up dead including one of the guards. The guard's widow (Billie Whitelaw) reacts to the news not with sadness but with vengeance. While the crooks hide out and wait for the heat to die down, Whitelaw turns amateur detective and tries to track her husband's killers. It's surprising because the heist occurs about 30 minutes into the film so the bulk of the plot is the messy business of the criminals turning on each other, avoiding the cops and being exposed by Whitelaw. All the actors are fine including sexy femme fatale Prevost, tough-as-nails gang leader Craig and an intense Whitelaw almost stealing the show. The plot is filled with surprising twist and turns you won't see coming. This would make a great double bill with Blood Simple. The film has a gritty authenticity to it being shot mostly on location in small towns, dreary buildings, seedy streets and pubs. Many of the characters are also just downright mean. There's also a bouncy jazzy score that's very memorable. A great looking WIDESCREEN print. Recommended.
Widescreen / Black & White
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R