This crime or film noir from the golden days of British film-making (Yes, the '50's/'60's B-flicks), proves good plot and script, however lesser-known a movie is, is still effective even today.
The two crooks, played by Nesbitt and Faulkner and another hold up a bank - they're not vicious in any real way, however wrong they are. The stuffy bank Manager, Colin Gordon and his secretary played by Ann Lynn are locked in the 'Strongroom' or vault if you want to call it that, by the two crooks, with the intent that they will hand the keys in at a police station and let the cops know the two bank workers are in there - all the time running out of air - but that's excused as it's done and dusted, isn't it, that they will soon be released? Wrong! Faulkner's brother, also a member of the gang is tasked with this - he's seen driving off to do just that, but of course - he has an accident and dies! Faulkner and Nesbitt receive a knock on the door from the police - unknowing of what's happened at this stage, panicking slightly. But then the news of Faulkner's brother's death is given. A little panic of both his brother's death and what'll happen to the bank workers by Faulkner surfaces but he knows he has to keep his mouth shut.
Faulkner has tried to retrieve his brother's belongings angrily as he's promptly told by the police the dead brother's items can't be returned not for weeks - which of course includes the Strongroom keys! The remaining duo decide to get hold of the usual bank busting equipment, Oxycetelene gear etc., and try their best to break through to the suffocating bank workers. In the meantime, an astute person has noted that part of the dead brother's belongings are a Strongroom key, after Faulkner's rantings lead them to suspect something was wrong.
The police then hurry to the bank after contacting an experienced locksmith as to what bank/door it belongs to.
They're about to make their pinch, when the boys tell them that they're trying to free the workers. Reluctant at first, they understand and let them continue - they get the door open - a huge look of relief from them is shown at what appears as the very last scene but at this point their relief is shattered as a police officer states :'This one is DEAD sir!' The look from Nesbitt and Faulkner sums up the impending doom for the pair, as hanging is still a capital offence at that time in the UK. However, it beckons from us up to and after the credits still a legal position that they may get a manslaughter charge - but the film doesn't give them the chance they thought they had.
Excellent and good performances all round and sadly not shown enough.
The two crooks, played by Nesbitt and Faulkner and another hold up a bank - they're not vicious in any real way, however wrong they are. The stuffy bank Manager, Colin Gordon and his secretary played by Ann Lynn are locked in the 'Strongroom' or vault if you want to call it that, by the two crooks, with the intent that they will hand the keys in at a police station and let the cops know the two bank workers are in there - all the time running out of air - but that's excused as it's done and dusted, isn't it, that they will soon be released? Wrong! Faulkner's brother, also a member of the gang is tasked with this - he's seen driving off to do just that, but of course - he has an accident and dies! Faulkner and Nesbitt receive a knock on the door from the police - unknowing of what's happened at this stage, panicking slightly. But then the news of Faulkner's brother's death is given. A little panic of both his brother's death and what'll happen to the bank workers by Faulkner surfaces but he knows he has to keep his mouth shut.
Faulkner has tried to retrieve his brother's belongings angrily as he's promptly told by the police the dead brother's items can't be returned not for weeks - which of course includes the Strongroom keys! The remaining duo decide to get hold of the usual bank busting equipment, Oxycetelene gear etc., and try their best to break through to the suffocating bank workers. In the meantime, an astute person has noted that part of the dead brother's belongings are a Strongroom key, after Faulkner's rantings lead them to suspect something was wrong.
The police then hurry to the bank after contacting an experienced locksmith as to what bank/door it belongs to.
They're about to make their pinch, when the boys tell them that they're trying to free the workers. Reluctant at first, they understand and let them continue - they get the door open - a huge look of relief from them is shown at what appears as the very last scene but at this point their relief is shattered as a police officer states :'This one is DEAD sir!' The look from Nesbitt and Faulkner sums up the impending doom for the pair, as hanging is still a capital offence at that time in the UK. However, it beckons from us up to and after the credits still a legal position that they may get a manslaughter charge - but the film doesn't give them the chance they thought they had.
Excellent and good performances all round and sadly not shown enough.