White Fire

Scott Brady is a military man who learns that his brother is about to be hanged in "Three Steps to the Gallows" from 1953.

Brady is Gregor Stevens who arrives in London planning on visiting with his brother. His brother, however, was convicted of murder in will be executed in three days.

This doesn't give Gregor much time to find out what happened and hopefully clear his brother. He finds himself involved with smugglers but gets some help from Yvonne Durante (Mary Castle) a nightclub singer. It's risky business because these are diamond smugglers who will stop at nothing to silence anyone they think might talk.

A lot of action in this one, as Brady is constantly getting into fights. One funny part occurs when a secretary (Genevieve Brune) introduces herself as a school friend of Yvonne's. Since they were 19 years apart in age, that must have been some school.

Ferdy Mayne and Michael Balfour do excellent jobs supporting Brady, one of many American actors who made British films in the '50s. Scott Brady at that time was something of a matinee idol, though low level. He later went into character work and worked into the '80s, dying in 1985.

Most of these films starring Americans are B level, but I usually enjoy them, especially the Hammer films, of which this is one. Not the horror ones though.

As some other reviewers have mentioned, THREE STEPS TO THE GALLOWS is a highly superior British film noir which doesn't let up from beginning to end. A twisty turny mystery style plot line throws up some familiar tropes - it seems half of British crime films made during the 1950s consisted of criminal enterprises utilising nightclubs as their lairs - but runs away with them thanks to a fast pacing and a complete refusal to deviate from the thriller aspects of the storyline.

American actor Scott Brady plays a sailor who gets some shore leave to visit his brother, only to discover that he's disappeared. He soon uncovers a sinister, conspiracy-style mystery that will lead to his brother's imminent execution, so it's a race against time to prove his innocence. Along the way he tangles with femme fatales, dogged detectives, and various henchmen, often slugging it out with the latter in some engaging fight scenes.

Brady is a slightly boring main actor but the supporting cast make up for deficiencies, with Ferdy Mayne and Michael Balfour on particularly strong form. Ballard Berkeley plays a cop and must have been one of the most typecast actors of the era. Director John Gilling, who would later direct the likes of THE REPTILE for Hammer, does a sterling job, but the real star here is Welshman Paul Erickson, whose debut script is never less than compelling.

As we all know, starting in the early 1950s American mid-level 'name' actors and actresses started to find films harder to come by here, and any number of them ventured to England to make starring vehicles that might have an international market based on their marquee names. George Raft did it, as did Dane Clark, George Brent, Hillary Brooke, Lloyd Bridges, and many others. Scott Brady did, too. Most of these were released through Lippert and enjoyed reasonable success, and almost all of them are eminently forgettable. Not this one, though.

This is actually a very fast-moving and action-packed thriller, with enough mysteries woven into it for two films. Brady plays a seaman who arrives in England to enjoy some time with his brother, only to learn that his brother is due to be hanged for murder a scant three days hence. Brady's rush investigation to clear him involves many characters (every one of whom is acted, as is the British wont, like it was Academy Awards time), and there are wheels within wheels within wheels. Indeed, by the time the film ends, you realize you've been subjected to more twists than most Agatha Christie novels provide, but you accept them because they are well-presented, well-written and well-acted. Unlike most such British films with an American actor 'hook', this one is slam-bang all the way, and one particular fistfight that Brady has (there are several) with a nightclub owner and three or four henchmen goes from that manager's office, through a hallway, out into the nightclub and then onto the dance floor itself. (It's kind of like a shorter fisticuffs version of the concluding SCARAMOUCHE duel.)What makes it so impressive is that Brady is doing all his own fighting and stunts and looks terrific doing so. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that this is the best starring performance I have ever seen out of Lawrence Tierney's younger brother, and he was always a decent (or better) actor, although never a major star. The female interest is provided by another American temporary ex-pat, Mary Castle, as a woman of some mystery and much beauty. (In fact, in every shot she appears in, she looks enough like a blonde Rita Hayworth to be her illegitimate sister.) The film seems to involve just about constant location shooting, in boxing arenas, gyms, restaurants, foggy-but-real streets, back alleys, and finally at some kind of big British exposition or fair, and the photography is grainy, noirish, and just plain terrific most of the time. If it is all wrapped up a little too tidily in the end, well, we never complain when Dame Agatha does the same.

I give it a high 8 rating because of the pure look of the film, the very realistic physicality of it all, the terrific character actors on display throughout, and mainly I guess, because it seems to me the very best of the dozens of such British semi-quota quickies that brought over American mid-level stars for a one-film-stand in London. Given what it was intended to be, and the somewhat brutish elan with which its intentions are accomplished, this is a very considerable achievement.

Excellent British Film Noir "3 Steps to the Gallows" follows American Sailor Scott Brady trying to visit and then just locate his brother while docked in London. Mary Castle as the lounge singer at the Gay Mask club gives this film an extraordinary aura. Her abbreviated performance of "There's No Way Out" paves the way for Brady to commence making contact with all of the characters involved in the plot. Pay attention - no one is above suspicion. Brady is more than a bit of a bull in a china shop but the rest of the cast is more subtly believable. This moves along at a good pace with no dead time. Worth seeking out.

AKA..."3 Steps to the Gallows"

Scott Brady Travels to England to Beef Up Film-Noir.

Brady (brother of Lawrence Tierney) Goes Ashore to Meet His Brother and Finds He has been Convicted of Murder and will Hang in 4 Days.

What Transpires is Brady vs a British Mob of Smugglers and Tough-Guys.

The Goons can Barely Fill a Trench-Coat and are Constantly Attacking Him in Gangs.

One Fight or Chase Ends and Almost Immediately Another Takes Place.

The Movie, very Unusual for B-Movies, is Shot Predominately On-Locations.

A Difficult Task at Best.

The Story Involves a Night-Club Singer, a Rita Hayworth Look-Alike (Mary Castle) along with the Brothers Former Friends and Acquaintances.

A Wise-Cracking Boxer (John Blythe) and the Brother's Lawyer (Colin Tapley), Secretary (Gabrielle Brune), and Night-Club Owner (Lloyd Lamble).

It's a Complicated Plot.

One has No Time to be Concerned with such Twists and Turns because the Film Won't let You Catch Your Breath.

It's One of the Most Active British Noirs.

With a Hyper-Pace Anchored by Brady's Physical Presence and Persistence.

Also, the Beautiful Mary Castle Eventually Decides to Help and is an Attractive Companion.

Breathless Action and a Bewildering Plot.

Combine for an Entertaining 80 Minute Noir that Incorporates Many Night-Scenes and Shadows.

For an Ominous and Threatening Tone.

One of the Better Late Noirs from Britain and is Definitely...

Worth a Watch.