Forbidden

The similarities to the celebrated 1948 film Brighton Rock could hardly be coincidental - set in that other big seaside holiday town, Blackpool, with the gang of young spivs and hoodlums centered in a funfair rather than horse racing. with a young Kenneth Griffith as a Pinkie figure. Even the same actor playing the identical gang member in both films. But whereas the storyline and script were so tight in Brighton Rock, here in Forbidden they are so sloppy. Mixing Ronald Shiners comic persona with film noir elements is just plain odd. not merely unsuccessful. Whereas the Brighton in Brighton Rock was a very hard place. Forbidden is a strange mixture of sugar and dog's dinner. Douglas Montgomery was an odd actor - half ineffectual sap, half leading man. Here the script perfect;y serves him - half sap, half hero - unfortunately. It is a mess.