Stock Car

A rather nondescript British crime film, directed by the ubiquitous Wolf Rilla and starring the equally ubiquitous Paul Carpenter who plays a stock car driver who becomes involved with the fortunes of a small garage being run by the daughter of a man who recently died. The problem for her is that her father died with debts and a small-time gangster is now eager to see them repaid.

STOCK CAR is very much a product of its time, with a few elements of interest threaded through an otherwise average narrative. The stuff that takes place in the garage is quite interesting, but the stock car races that prop up the plot - particularly in the second half - are dull and rather unworkable.

At least the film has a good little cast to recommend it. Carpenter aside, we get the cool and level-headed Rona Anderson as the new garage owner and the pretty Sabrina playing a girlfriend of one of the criminals. Paul Whitsun-Jones is the crude villain of the piece and Harry Fowler one of his henchmen. Further down the cast list is Frank Thornton as a doctor. However, my favourite role is that of Robert Rietty as the dependable Italian garage worker; Rietty really shines in this part, building up a multi-layered and likable character.