Crossroads to Crime
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| Crossroads to Crime | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Gerry Anderson |
| Produced by | Gerry Anderson |
| Written by | Alan Falconer |
| Starring | Anthony Oliver Ferdy Mayne George Murcell Miriam Karlin Victor Maddern |
| Music by | Barry Gray |
| Distributed by | Anglo Amalgamated Film Distributors Ltd. |
| Release date(s) | November 1960 (UK) |
| Running time | 57 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £16,000 (pre-decimalised)[1] |
| IMDb profile | |
Crossroads to Crime is a British crime film released in 1960. It was Gerry Anderson's first live-action production and his feature film directorial debut. The film is unique among his works due to the absence of fantasy and science fiction. The film's tagline was "£20,000 the Prize and Death the Price!"
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Police officer Don Ross (Anthony Oliver) discovers a group of hijackers working from a café. When his concerns are rebuffed by his superiors, Ross investigates the gang alone, taking bribes from Diamond (George Murcell) while collecting incriminating evidence. As the gang prepares for its next robbery – targeting a £20,000 load of nickel alloy ingots – Ross is determined to topple the ringleader, Miles (Ferdy Mayne), by joining the assault…
[edit] Production
Anderson approached Anglo-Amalgamated for work after his plans for a new Supermarionation television series, Supercar, to follow on from the success of Four Feather Falls between 1959 and 1960, were rejected by Granada Television, the broadcaster of the earlier series.[1] Filming on Crossroads to Crime took place in and around Slough and Maidenhead over five weeks in the summer of 1960.[1] The cast included many individuals who would feature in some of Anderson's later productions. George Murcell subsequently voiced the character of Professor Popkiss in the first season of Supercar, while David Graham had parts in Stingray and Thunderbirds. Many of the crew, such as director of photography John Read and editor David Elliott, also continued their association with Anderson.
Sylvia Anderson served as continuity girl under her maiden name Thamm. She was married to Anderson after he divorced his first wife, Betty, following the shooting.
Barry Gray's opening title music can also be heard in some episodes of Captain Scarlet. An example is "Manhunt", in which an unfortunate garage mechanic is playing the tune on his radio before he is crushed to death by Captain Black.
[edit] Cast
- Don Ross – Anthony Oliver
- Miles – Ferdy Mayne
- Diamond – George Murcell
- Connie Williams – Miriam Karlin
- Len – Victor Maddern
- Joan Ross – Patricia Heneghan
- Sergeant Pearson – Arthur Rigby
- Johnny – David Graham
- Paddy – Harry Towb
- Harry – Terence Brook
- Phillips – J. Mark Roberts
- Basher – Donald Tandy
- Martin – William Kerwin
- Lorry Driver – Bill Sawyer
- Butler – Geoffrey Benton
- Youths – David Sale and Terry Sale
- Escort – Peter Diamond
[edit] Reception
Anderson reportedly branded his production "possibly the worst film ever made". The Anglo-Amalgamated financiers were also unimpressed and consequently did not invite Anderson to work for them again.[1] However, a review in the Monthly Film Bulletin was more complimentary, stating, "Quick off the mark, this modest little thriller soon settles down into a routine 'cops and robbers' format, efficient if not always too convincing".
[edit] Distribution
Due to the film's short length, it was intended as a "B" feature for its UK release, to be screened alongside the main programme at cinemas. It has never been released in any home entertainment format, although has been broadcast at least once on British television. The British Film Institute owns a print of the film, which was screened by the National Museum of Photography, Film & Television at its Pictureville Cinema in Bradford in 1997 to commemorate Anderson's motion picture career.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Bentley, Chris (2001). The Complete Book of Captain Scarlet. Carlton Books, p.11. ISBN 1-84222-405-0.
[edit] External links
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