Recoil

Jean Talbot watches in horror as her father, a jeweller is robbed and attacked by a gang of thugs, she learns the identity of the ring leader, and poses as a criminal in order to bring him down.

It's a very stylish noir b movie, if you're a fan of this genre, there is plenty here to enjoy, the first thing that struck me was the rather excellent cinematography. Some great road sequences, and the theatre scenes looked impressive, this is a super good looking film.

The story, you could perhaps argue that there isn't anything new here, however, it's refreshing to see what is effectively a female lead in a thriller, Jean is very much the hero of the piece, beautifully played by Elizabeth Sellars.

It's well paced, it's gritty, and features a few rather surprising moments, the main question I had, was Jean going to fall in love with Michael?

John Horsley was rather good as The Detective, Kieron Moore and Edward Underdown were excellent as the very different brothers, and I just loved Ethel O'Shea's subtle but strong performance as the troubled mother.

8/10.

No chickie, not even Miss Rogers, moved in heels like a British bird on the case.

It's post-war London and the daughter of a jeweler on house-call is witness to his attack during a robbery, the battery resulting in dad's death, she then determined to identify the killer and bring him to justice. Finding her own lead, she spots the cosh, a charming hood who's stymied the police on a brother's bogus alibi, then assumes a new name to infiltrate the culprit's quarters in hopes of finding evidence to bring an indictment. Stars Elizabeth Sellars as the undercover angel, she with a face that would have this critic boarding one of those 'thousand ships,' her fearless Jean a rare mix of Nancy Drew, Evelyn Keyes (99 River) and Sgt Pepper, Police Woman variety (Dickinson). The ruggedly handsome, Kieron Moore plays her quarry, Nick "a natural product of the miracle age," not so nasty as he is reckless in trying to wrest control of the local racket (Benson), much to the dismay of his older brother, the not so "stodgy" Dr Conway (Underdown) who patches-up the scoundrel after every job while competing for Miss Talbot's hand, one she's trying not to tip. Support comes from John Horsley as the colorless but capable Insp Trubridge, Ethel O'Shea is the physically fragile but mentally muscular, Mom Conway, with Derek Blomfield and Michael Balfour as Nick's operatives. Written & directed for Tempean / Eros by Hammer Studio fixture, John Gilling who, along with scorist Stan Black (OBE) & lensman / co-producer Monty Berman (+ Baker), all keep Recoil engaging throughout. A well-crafted quickie (79m) that builds tension to a thrill-filled, scale balancing climax (3/4).

The 'other' Ian Fleming plays the lovely Elisabeth Sellars' father and Edward Underdown and Keiron Moore are rather unlikely siblings in this talky but well-acted and languidly ruthless little crime drama with the usual atmospheric photography by co-producer Monty Berman and some surprisingly violent action.

I watched and loved this crime film from UK because of the Kieron Moore's presence and performance. And an early John Gilling's movie is always worth the risk of wasting eighthy five minutes. The typical noir crime film from the fifties UK, which John Gilling was then the specialist, before offfering us later adventure and horror films...Here, the story proposes nothing really exceptional but the result is gritty, rough, with a good ending, which is very important. Not a masterpiece but still rare and worth watching. Kieron Moore was one of my favorite British actor from the fifties seventies era.

A low budget effort with silly complicated plot and storyline about postwar London crooks. Interesting shots of long vanished warehouses and vehicles.

Love interest is between curiously faced Elizabeth Sellars and prematurely aged Edward Underdown who looked old enough to be both her father and his own mother!

Silly shoot out in warehouse filmed in daylight but crook runs to car in dark!

Martic Benson looks very nice with a moustache and he dies very convincingly after the crook shoots him.

Worth watching for the historical street scenes and fashions.