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Break in the Circle is a 1955 British crime film directed by Val Guest and starring Forrest Tucker, Eva Bartok, Marius Goring and Guy Middleton. It was written by Guest based on the 1951 novel The Break in The Circle by Robin Estridge (as Philip Loraine). Doreen Carwithen composed the score for the film.
| Break in the Circle | |
|---|---|
.jpg) British quad poster | |
| Directed by | Val Guest |
| Written by | Val Guest |
| Based on | novel by Robin Estridge (as Philip Loraine) |
| Produced by | Michael Carreras |
| Starring | Forrest Tucker Eva Bartok Marius Goring |
| Cinematography | Walter J. Harvey |
| Edited by | Bill Lenny |
| Music by | Doreen Carwithen |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Exclusive Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 87 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot
editAn adventurer is hired by a German millionaire to help a Polish scientist escape to the West.
Cast
edit- Forrest Tucker as Captain Skip Morgan
- Eva Bartok as Lisa
- Marius Goring as Baron Keller
- Guy Middleton as Major Hobart
- Eric Pohlmann as Emile
- Arnold Marlé as Professor Pal Kudnic
- Fred Johnson as Chief Agent Farquarson
- David King-Wood as Colonel Patchway
- Reginald Beckwith as Dusty
- Guido Lorraine as Franz
- André Mikhelson as Russian thug
- Stanley Zevic as Russian thug
- Marne Maitland as The phony Kudnic
- Arthur Lovegrove as Bert
Production
editIt was the first feature for Michael Carreras and was shot on location in Polperro,[1] London, and Hamburg.[2]
Reception
editThe Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Break in the Circle is a schoolboy adventure yarn, moving quite fast along heavily American-influenced lines. Occasionally, however, the profusion of bullets, fights and escapes strains the credibility necessary even to this type of entertainment. The characters are stock inventions and are played as such, and the dialogue (notably that of the hero) deals too freely in a stale wisecracking idiom. Efficient use is made of the location backgrounds, and the quality of the colour is good. A rousing romp for the unsophisticated."[3]
Picturegoer wrote: "Eva Bartok is delightfully provocative as the heroine and Forrest Tucker is first-rate. But why wasn't Marius Goring, who plays the financier, given more scope."[4]
Picture Show wrote: "Exciting drama of the rescue of an elderly scientist from Germany by a young man who lets nothing stand in' his way. Well acted and told."[5]
Leslie Halliwell said: "Routine action yarn of cross and double-cross."[6]
The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "This is an efficient and energetic British thriller, not without the odd moment of humour."[7]
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "good", writing: "Robust thriller with a vein of humour."[8]
References
edit- ^ "Break in the Circle". Reelstreets. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ Fowler, Roy (1988). "Interview with Val Guest". British Entertainment History Project.
- ^ "Break in the Circle". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 22 (252): 56. 1 January 1955 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Break in the Circle". Picturegoer. 29: 29. 7 March 1955 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Break in the Circle". Picture Show. 64 (1667): 10. 12 March 1955 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Halliwell, Leslie (1989). Halliwell's Film Guide (7th ed.). London: Paladin. p. 139. ISBN 0586088946.
- ^ Radio Times Guide to Films (18th ed.). London: Immediate Media Company. 2017. p. 127. ISBN 9780992936440.
- ^ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 287. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.