User Reviews

A lively British B-thriller, shot at Merton Park Studios on the cheap. It moves along at a fair old clip and has the novelty of including a lengthy flashback told concurrently with the present-time story. It's essentially a chase story in which John Bentley's cop hunts down a man who committed a murder in a bar; the likes of Michael Goodliffe enliven it somewhat and the varied south London locations are a treat.

A young woman called Terry Carradine (played by Mona Freeman) helps her husband Greg (played by Gene Nelson) to escape the country after he admits to accidentally killing a man in a bar fight. However, as she gets drawn in deeper meeting London's underworld figures to arrange a false passport and a safe route across the channel to France whilst playing cat and mouse with the Yard's Detective Sergeant Seagrave (played by John Bentley), she discovers that Greg has not been truthful with her. He has substantial gambling debts and it was one of his creditors, a bookmaker called Anderson (played by Cyril Chamberlain), whom he killed after he had demanded his money and fought with Greg because he was been chatting up his girlfriend (played by Kay Callard). Will Terry's deep devotion to her husband blind her to the fact that he is no good and go on helping him despite the risks to herself and her brother, the mild mannered author John Moffatt (played by Michael Goodliffe), who reluctantly gets roped into the plan? Or, will she turn him over to the police?

Above average British co-feature with good characterisations, a strong feeling for place and period thanks to realistic settings and excellent use of London locations, which are shot in atmospheric black and white by Philip Grindrod. Freeman provides the all -important emotional centre to the story as Nelson's loyal and loving wife who seems blind to the fact that her husband is not a pleasant man underneath it all. He only cares about himself, is not above seeing other women behind her back and is prepared to let both her and her brother be put at risk of being charged by the police for assisting a fugitive. Nelson, the obligatory imported American leading man, is convincing in the part and Goodliffe provides good support as the good natured brother who only gets involved due to his devotion to his sister. John Bentley is noteworthy as the dogged Scotland Yard man and his game of cat and mouse with Freeman is engaging to watch. Look out for many other 'B'-pic veterans in the supporting cast like Charles Victor, Sidney Tafler and Arthur Lovegrove. Director Montgomery Tully, aided by crisp editing by Geoffrey Muller, stages a good climax where the Yard frantically try to pin the fugitives down as they make their way across the Kent countryside to a boat in Ramsgate, which will get Nelson out of the country. But, its hard work as they are forever changing getaway vehicles.

This film starts with a big start when Mason stumbles into his home and declares he killed a man.Freeman seems sceptical but in a flashback it is clearly revealed that he bashed a battling bookie on the bonce.You could say that he was siphoned off!The second half of the film concerns Freeman dealing with shady characters such as Sydney Tafler and Chaeles Victor to get Mason out of the country.The flight is quite interesting.A camera is positioned in the back of the vehicle so we can see the West End in the mid fifties.A lot of scenes appear to have been shot in the Tooting area not far from Merton Park.The final capture by police is clumsily staged.He breaks free and catches a bus in the worst way.A fairly reasonable thriller.As to the question posed by the American reviewer,the reason for the presence of Freeman and Mason was to try and secure an American distributor.Incidentally the American title of The Way Out,far more suits this film.