Displaying items by tag: The Frightened City movie

THE FRIGHTENED CITY

UK, 1961, 97 minutes, Black-and-white.

Herbert Lom, Sean Connery, John Gregson, Alfred Marks, Yvonne Romain.

Directed by John Lemont.

The Frightened City is in the early 1960s, a shift in some British films to black-and-white, crime features, corruption, especially in London, films like Expresso Bongo.

The screenplay takes protection rackets in London very seriously, references to Chicago mobs but this time a focus on the police, their pessimism about what was happening to the city, their work, and the presentation of the criminals but in no way glamourising them.

Herbert Lom plays a suave accountant, an influencer and mastermind. John Gregson plays the very serious-minded police inspector. Alfred Marks is a confident criminal, not presented as likeable in any way. Yvonne Romain is a singer.

But, the main interest is in Sean Connery, who had been in films and television for many years but was emerging as a more prominent actor, this film appearing the year before his first James Bond film, Dr No.

1. A thriller of its time. Black-and-white, city crime, police, protection rackets? Comparisons with American films, reference to Chicago?
2. The situation in London, 1960s, criminals, protection rackets, thugs causing havoc in shops and restaurants, proprietors paying protection? The role of the police, confronting criminals, the arrests?
3. Inspector Sayers, his team, serious minded, desperate about the situation in London? Interrogations, confrontations, confessions, persuasion? The other members of the team?
4. Waldo, accountant, money matters, schemes, his connections, suave manner, treatment of his secretary, his promotion of Anya, going to the club, her job? His connections, Harry, the protection racket, the interview with Paddy, the transition to injection for big companies, building sites…?
5. Harry, criminal activities, the range of thugs, some old-fashioned, codes, the scenes of upset in restaurants, the owners, the havoc, paying protection? Not informing the police?
6. Anya, documentation, singing, Waldo and the relationship, the nightclubs, singers, dancers, rehearsals, her success? The encounter with Paddy, the relationship?
7. Paddy, a Sean Connery character, petty thief, his partner and his injuries, approached by Harry, interviewed by Waldo, his phone calls, persuasion, at the restaurant, the fake fight, getting protection money? His advice for the protection money from companies, the interviews, suave manner? Seeing Anya, his friendship with Sadie, the relationship, his being used for the killing of the old-time criminal, his reaction, his former partner supporting him to tell the truth, with Inspector Sayers, the pressure, his setting up Waldo, setting up Harry, the final fight, deaths, arrests? The influence of Sadie?
8. The protection rackets of the past, the American models, continuous protection in later decades, bikie gangs, corrupt union officials …?
9. The dialogue from Inspector Sayers and the very serious minded perspective on crime and criminals rather than sensationalist action films?