The Shakedown

As well as being an entertaining picture, this is a realistic examination of crime and criminals. The descent of the photographer, essentially a decent enough man, into crime, and his staying with it even when offered an out, is very well handled.

We see there are three main things keeping crime in check. The police of course, but also pushing victims until they crack and are no longer rational and predictable, and rivalries among the insanely greedy and self-centered people we call criminals.

My TV guide gave this a very lukewarm review and I nearly didn't bother with it, but I'm glad I did.

Clunkily made, but score and acting are good. And the set is decorated by a bevy of would-be models. Augie comes out of prison and finds his old vice racket has been taken over by the sinister Harry H Corbett (Gollar). So he dreams up a new scam, thanks to Donald Pleasance's out of work photographer he meets down the pub. Pleasance (Jessel) provides the business front by taking snaps and running a model school. Meanwhile Augie uses the premises for blackmail. Little does he know that the most beauticious of the girls is an undercover cop. Aaaaah, Britain could really do gangster movies in those days.

Fascinating & slightly risqué B-pic with a good edge to it,Augie Cortona(Terrace Morgan) is release from prison & sets about reclaiming his underworld business from his former henchmen & colleague Gollar(Harry H Corbett) who's taken control of his protection & prostitution racket & left Augie out in the cold until he bumps into out of work photographer Jessup Brown(Donald Pleasance).The two of them Set up in business as a high class agency which is a front for Augie's blackmailing activities in which Jessup get caught up in the corruption which leads him to drink,one is not what she appears to be & Augie soon becomes attractive to her & along with Augie's sidekick Spettigue, Gollar is sorted out with beatings being dispatched & life's fine for Augie. With nightclubs & small racketeers the police are hot on his heels, this film hit the spot well,with pretty Hazel Court.

"The Shakedown" is a great crime movie around the character of Augie Cortona, seducer and blackmailer played impressively by Steve Morgan, just enjoy the lift sequence. This threatening seducer reminds me of Legs Diamond played by Ray Danton, in another context. Gripping from beginning to end, "The Shakedown" is nervously directed by John Lemont, who directed only 5 movies for big screen, so there are definitely lot of great surprises in british cinema.

There's something rewarding about discovering a solid but unknown film from the past... like finding $50 in the pocket of a suit you haven't worn since last summer. This British gangster exploitation flick is such a film. THE SHAKEDOWN is so much better than it ought to be that it's kind of amazing. It's hardly even listed in any major movie review books. Still, I'm not ashamed to say this is without question a minor low budget UK noir gem and absolutely worthy of any crime drama (or 50s British cinema) fan's time. I saw it last year at the American Cinematheque Film Noir festival in Los Angeles and it was the wrong print! They meant to screen the American noir called SHAKEDOWN, but the audience and myself are forever grateful for the error as this movie is edgier, pulpier and just plain better.

The plot concerns a con returning after a stretch in the pokey and finding his turf has been taken over. He adapts and finds some new angles with a photography / blackmail shoppe only to get embroiled in police intrigue and a bad gangwar. As plots go, this one hangs together well despite some seemingly calculated titillatory edges. There are some unexpected and enjoyable twists thrown in as well for good measure.

The best aspect of this movie is the tough guy lingo and no-nonsense characterization. There's something particularly enjoyable about the straight ahead narrative. No smoke and mirrors or flashcut editing or deep focus trickery here; just simple, reliable point-the-camera-and- shoot storytelling. But forget any deep analysis; this is at its heart a compelling man-against-the-system tale and finally a very enjoyable moviegoing experience. Seek it out... this one is great English fun!