Undercover Girl

Highly prolific British Director Francis Searle has under his belt some noteworthy B films like CLOUDBURST or WHISPERING SMITH HITS LONDON, but he cannot hide poor form in UNDERCOVER GIRL.

Incidentally, I am at a loss as to this title. There is no undercover police or other girl, most of the girls who appear in the film appear to be under life threat or close, so why anyone in that situation should be foolish enough to go undercover into the vipers' nest would be tough to fathom.

The ludicrous and deceitful title aside, Paul Carpenter drives a nail in the film's coffin by posting a performance mediocre enough to match those of Kay Callard, Jackie Collins or Monica Grey. In fact, the only female who grabbed my attention was "Miss Brazil", alluringly played by Maya Koumani but a completely unnecessary role in the plot.

Bruce Seton steals the show in the small part of criminal king pin Ted Austin, even if his final fisticuff against Carpenter leaves much to be believed, beginning with the fact that he could have shot Carpenter dead and settled the issue without exposing himself to a punchup.

Dull cinematography by Geoffrey Faithfull, even duller score by Trytel, to match the dull script by Bernard Lewis.

Though only 69' long, UNDERCOVER GIRL is an out and out waste of time.

Some confusion exists over UNDERCOVER GIRL, as it was released in the US under the equally meaningless title ASSIGNMENT REDHEAD. This happened to be the name of another British crime film, made the previous year and known in the US as MILLION DOLLAR MANHUNT, thus leading to credits for the two productions getting muddled on occasions.

Here, regular 'B' lead Paul Carpenter plays a photographer taking over the investigation into a shady nightclub owner, whom, he believes, is responsible for his reporter brother-in-law's murder. He works for the kind of magazine that mixes glamour photos with articles "lifting the lid off Soho" and exposing gambling rackets - "what goes on behind the net curtains". So much for the supposedly sedate Britain of 1957. Meanwhile Carpenter's girlfriend Kay Callard is concerned about sister Jackie Collins who's also involved with the vicious club owner/gangster, played by Bruce Seton, best known at the time for his portrayal of that exemplar of 1950s law and order, Fabian of the Yard.

Carpenter uncovers a blackmail racket and drug pushing, centred on a dodgy nursing home, but, flatly presented and directed, it's not as interesting as it sounds. Obviously made on a low budget, time is padded out with Carpenter taking photos of Maya Koumani as 'Miss Brazil' while the background score of Bill Trytel further reinforces the resemblance to the kind of 1930s quota quickie of which he was a veteran. As an actress, Jackie Collins doesn't do badly, though inevitably, is more memorable for her sensational figure.

Undercover is a cheap B film filler with film noir intentions. Johnny Carpenter, an American journalist in London. He sets out to find why his brother in law, Billy Peters, also a journalist was killed.

Carpenter finds a bunch of gangsters running scams such as extorting people who would be involved in set up accidents after they were drugged and allegedly ran over an elderly gentleman in a drugged state. They are also involved in drug dealing as well.

There is nothing too involving or exciting here. A lot of the scenes have interior settings. There is a pointless photo shoot involving a beautiful model. Author Jackie Collins has an early acting role who plays the sister of Carpenter's girlfriend and is also mixed up with the gangsters.

Enthusiastic photographer "Carter" (Paul Carpenter) is determined to investigate a dodgy nightclub owner whom he thinks is behind the killing of his brother-in-law. Meantime, his gal "Joan" (Kay Callard) is concerned that her naive and innocent sister "Peggy" (Jackie Collins - yep, that one!) is getting herself too closely entangled with this self same hood - "Ted" (Bruce Seton). Before long, "Carter" is knee-deep in a blackmailing and drug-running racket but can he get to the bottom of things before he, too, goes the way of the dodo? The story is actually a little more sophisticated than the routine - faking accidents to extort cash and to coerce the victims into helping with their lucrative peddling, but the dialogue is way too plentiful and there is a lot of padding - especially the scenes with the "Miss Brazil" (Maya Koumani) that rips the pace out of the film quite successfully. Seton really doesn't engender the slightest sense of malice - though maybe that's because he has been in so many of these B-features that his face is synonymous with just about every role you'd care to mention, and that does impact on the potency of his characterisations. It ends as you'd expect and is entirely forgettable stuff, sorry.

Yes a typical Butchers B film from the 1950s.It moves at quite a pace particularly in the last reel.Though the title left me a bit bewildered since there is really no undercover girl in the film.The film centres around Bruce Set on a club owner who has a lifeline in blackmail and murder.Unusual to see Set on as a crook.He was to play Fabian of the yard,and lived to regret it.It typefaces him and all but ruined his career.Although essentially a British B film it was clearly made with the American market in mind.There can be no other explanation for the inordinate amount of gun play around at the end.The film is no great shakes but passes a reasonable hour.