In the 1950's , all the studios were churning out 'B' movies, or as their publicity offices preferred to call them, Supporting Features. Most are now just memories or entries in catalogues, but in their day they were 65 minutes of taut thriller and proved to be the training ground for actors, writers, directors and technicians, as well as the twilight zone for former top stars.
This genre has now been overtaken by the TV cop programme. Not surprisingly, in the 1970's companies like ITC snapped up many of the people who had once worked in 'B' movies.
'The Flying Scot' is a justifiably good example of the genre. Well crafted and cheap to make! The story is quite simple. Ronnie, a young impetuous American crook, played by Lee Patterson, is looking for 'the big one', and proposes to rob the Mail Train by drilling through the compartment walls whilst the train travels from Glascow to London.
The film opens with a silent run through of the plan leading to the gang living it up in a South American Bar (shades of 'The Lavender Hill Mob)! There is not a wasted action or word as the story unfolds, and what a little cracker it turns out to be. The underrated Kay Callard gets her teeth into a role as Patterson's necessary sidekick and when it turns out the technician (Alan Gifford) is suffering from a crippling ulcer Patterson becomes more and more paranoid. And to add to his frustration the passengers are not behaving as he planned.
The story by ace script writer Norman Hudis, who later turned his hand to TV's Danger Man, builds to a nerve wracking climax that takes several insignificant incidents and modest sub-plots to bring about a satisfying and logical ending.
Oh, and another bonus. To save costs producer and director Compton Bennett plundered the studio library for actual pictures of the Royal Mail, lineside and station life.
This genre has now been overtaken by the TV cop programme. Not surprisingly, in the 1970's companies like ITC snapped up many of the people who had once worked in 'B' movies.
'The Flying Scot' is a justifiably good example of the genre. Well crafted and cheap to make! The story is quite simple. Ronnie, a young impetuous American crook, played by Lee Patterson, is looking for 'the big one', and proposes to rob the Mail Train by drilling through the compartment walls whilst the train travels from Glascow to London.
The film opens with a silent run through of the plan leading to the gang living it up in a South American Bar (shades of 'The Lavender Hill Mob)! There is not a wasted action or word as the story unfolds, and what a little cracker it turns out to be. The underrated Kay Callard gets her teeth into a role as Patterson's necessary sidekick and when it turns out the technician (Alan Gifford) is suffering from a crippling ulcer Patterson becomes more and more paranoid. And to add to his frustration the passengers are not behaving as he planned.
The story by ace script writer Norman Hudis, who later turned his hand to TV's Danger Man, builds to a nerve wracking climax that takes several insignificant incidents and modest sub-plots to bring about a satisfying and logical ending.
Oh, and another bonus. To save costs producer and director Compton Bennett plundered the studio library for actual pictures of the Royal Mail, lineside and station life.