Tiger Bay

There were plenty of British crime thrillers about at that time. They were pretty black and white not only in photography. Here we have one that strikes out on its own. Here the differences between good and bad are blurred. Indeed towards the end, we find ourselves hoping that the Polish sailor gets clean away.

Unusually for a crime thriller, we have some pretty good acting from the two central characters, one of them a child, played by the daughter of John Mills (who plays a detective). German actor Horst Bucholz plays the part of the Pole.

The setting is Cardiff, and some of the street types are pretty good, and very atmospheric.

At a time when Britain was turning out some pretty rotten stuff, this is a film that is very watchable, quite well written and well acted.

This film stars the Cinema Idol Horst Bucholz as a Polish Sailor returning to his girl-friend, only to find her in the arms of another man. In a jealous rage, he shoots and kills the woman. The only witness to this crime of passion is a 12 year old girl (played by newcomer Hayley Mills), who saw everything through a letter-box.

What follows is a suspenseful chase by the law, as well as a bitter sweet character study of the likable murderer and the girl who may hold the power to tip the scales of justice. The ending is not much of a surprise, but it's great fun getting there! In glorious black & white photography, this is a true Classic! Not only do we get introduced to the pre-Disney sweetheart Hayley Mills (who won a Special Juvenile Oscar for her outstanding performance), but we see the celebrated James-Dean-like heart throb Horst Buchholz in one of his early, and much acclaimed roles.

Tiger Bay was a great movie for a number of reasons. I will admit the kid and the killer plot is very familiar territory, and while the film offers very little new it is still a remarkable and I think underrated movie. The best element was the truly terrific debut performance of Hayley Mills. Quite frankly, her performance is one of the greatest child performances ever, that's how good it was. The plot about a young girl befriending a murderous sailor and her attempts to hinder the detective's investigation is still suspenseful and clever, and still manages to be intriguing in the slower moments. The cinematography is fabulous, and perfectly captures the sights of the Cardiff docklands and of Hayley's photogenic face. Also J Lee Thompson is a fine director of children, and directs Hayley with care and precision. Even more remarkable is the credible characters and the supporting acting of Hayley's father the wonderful John Mills and Horst Buchholz. All in all, a very good movie. 9/10 Bethany Cox

I saw this movie on television as a child. After almost 40 years, it still stays in my mind, and I can, even now, remember certain scenes, especially the ending. To me, this is what movies are all about. I don't own a DVD player and, unfortunately, this movie seems to be available only on DVD. Ah well, I suppose I'll have to buy a DVD player soon. Give yourself a rare treat and watch this movie. I guarantee you'll be moved. You may even find yourself with a tear in your eye.

this is a hidden gem... quickly, the film transports you to a different world, one of varying shades of gray, skies, people, emotions, degrees of truth.... the cinematography is surprising and fresh for a movie that is more than 40 years old, the camera angles that tell more in a one-second frame than a lot of movies nowadays take minutes to set up and then fail to do... there are no special effects, but there are plenty of moods and thoughts carried on faces in close-up and in backgrounds that move the story along.. hayley is great, the scene where she re-enacts the murder alone is worth watching the movie for.. and buchholz also is fun to see and totally credible in how his heart has pushed him in ways he never thought he would go.... a very brave man indeed..