The Frightened City

This rollicking crime thriller gets off to a pulsating start with Norrie Paramor's spot on theme music, featuring a guitar solo from The Shadows' Hank Marvin and with a camera placed in a front of a car covering half the perimeter of Soho where the action (and there's a lot of it) takes place.

This is 1960! The protection racket ‘business’ was in its heyday and Reggie and Ronnie Kray were in their prime. We witness a ‘little drinker’ - that is to say a private members club, being smashed up because the proprietor has been remiss with his dues. It must be said that the gang of extortionists led by Frankie Farmer (played by Patrick Jordan and not to be confused with the Frankie Fraser) do seem a bit on the old side for this exceedingly unpleasant 'business'. The 'Bogies' (that’s the Old Bill) arrive soon after, headed by stalwart D.I. Sayers (John Gregson in a forerunner to his Commander Gideon of Scotland Yard role) but it's no good because proprietor Moffat (Arnold Diamond) will never press charges. The police can't protect him ALL of the time can they? Next we see the ultra smooth and 'well bent' accountant Waldo Zhernikov in conversation in his office, informing a client who is encountering severe difficulties over a building contract that he can't offer any advice - the main problem or clause being that if his company goes over time in construction they will be liable to pay two grand for every week. A lot of money in 1960! The quick thinking Waldo has been given another big money-making idea.

His lady friend Anya (the overly voluptuous Latin looking Yvonne Romain) is singing and accompanying herself on piano but is worried about getting a work permit as she is French. No worries, Waldo can pull a number of strings. To this end he gets her a job in the tropically inspired Soho nightclub of his friend and colleague Harry Foulcher (Alfred Marks - the film is worth it for him alone). Himself very much involved in the protection racket business he shows Waldo a large suitcase full of pound notes garnered from this shady enterprise. It was a universal problem then and it still is now. You can't bank the notes, as nasty questions will be asked. Once again no problem as far as Waldo is concerned… for a ‘fee’ of 30% he can take care of the lolly what with his connections abroad. Another problem is the increasing number of these rotten protection racket gangs for they are oft impinging on each other’s territory. Wily Waldo comes up with another brilliant idea: the gangs should work together with each being designated their own territory (in reality this might not work, pickings would be better in certain more affluent areas unless they alternated). Initially the plan goes well after the first meeting of the gang bosses.

Harry reckons they need a ‘good boy' to go and pick up their illicit takings. The boy in question is top cat burglar Paddy Damion (an early role for Sean Connery - yes, we can easily visualise the oncoming 007 here) who is reluctant at first but will soon be easily enticed. Paddy feels guilty about his burglar accomplice Wally (Kenneth Griffith) who's been permanently crippled after falling off a roof during one of their 'jobs' and wants to give him financial support. An extra lure is Anya who is now the star attraction in Harry’s club. Paddy's eyes nearly pop out of their sockets when he clocks her rehearsing a number and they are lovers in no time… much to chagrin of his long suffering ex Sadie (Olive McFarland) who just happened to be the club's lead attraction before the arrival of Anya.
Things are all going quite well until Waldo decides they should go into an altogether bigger league (this idea came from the visit he had from the building contractor) and soon they’ll rake in even more money if they can see to it that these contracts are all delayed! The other gang bosses think it a great idea except obstinate old Alf (David Davies, also getting on a bit for throwing so much weight about) who reckons they are getting in well over their heads and pulls out. He may have a point but he then starts to over-assert himself and something will have to be done. This makes the conniving Harry only too happy, after all he and Waldo are cut from the same cloth but Paddy, a good friend of Alf's, is stuck in middle due to the fact that he has some social conscience left in him. Cue for more twists and turns (not to mention nasty punch-ups) before the inevitable showdown delivers justice.

Canadian director John Lemont did not direct a great many films, which seems a pity as he does a grand job here. This was his second collaboration with writer Leigh Vance. Sadly there was nothing more after this except KONGA made the same year. We have a great cast here: Herbert Lom (who gets top billing) was equally as effective as the bad guy or the good guy and was so very capable of capitalising on his East European charm. His wood panelled private lounge, littered with a collection of ancient weapons which makes it look like a luxurious torture chamber, provides the setting for a suitable climax. This is very nicely balanced with London actor Alfred Marks doing his veteran street-cred wide boy thing (he'd probably met such people on a number of occasions) and his near unforgettable “C'mon boy, whaddya afraid of” - beckoning with one hand and wielding a bloody medieval mace in the other. ‘Big Tam’ Sean Connery also makes his presence felt and in a way his light Edinburgh accent (although he is presumably supposed to be Irish here) makes a nice change from the fake accents we'd been used to at that time. If he is a bit rough round the edges it befitted his character. John Gregson's Inspector Sayers (Gregson got second billing) is really quite a drab copper in comparison. The direction is pacey and no complaints about Desmond Dickenson's photography. This Brit-Noir flick from 1961 is well worth a look for a number of reasons, most of which have been pointed out.

THE FRIGHTENED CITY has been newly restored and is available for the first time on Blu-ray and features an interview with journalist and film historian Matthew Sweet.