Doublecross (1956)

Director:

Anthony Squire

Writers:

Kem Bennett (novel)
Kem Bennett (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

February 1956 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Donald Houston	...	Albert Pascoe
William Hartnell	...	Whiteway
Fay Compton	...	Alice Pascoe
Delphi Lawrence	...	Anna Krassin
Anton Diffring	...	Dmitri Krassin
Frank Lawton	...	Chief Constable
John Blythe	...	Fred Trewin
Allan Cuthbertson	...	Clifford
Bruce Gordon	...	Harry Simms
Raymond Francis	...	Inspector Harris
Ann Stephens	...	Rose
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gene Anderson
Toby Perkins
Helena Pickard
Robert Shaw
Harry Towb

Directed by
Anthony Squire

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Kem Bennett		novel "The Queer Fish"
Kem Bennett		screenplay
Anthony Squire		writer

Produced by
Donald Taylor	....	producer

Original Music by
Edward Williams

Cinematography by
Kenneth Talbot

Film Editing by
Peter R. Hunt

Production Management
Ben Arbeid	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
George Pollard	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Baron Mason	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Gerry Massy-Collier	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rene Coke	....	wardrobe

Other crew
Doreen Dearnaley	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Beaconsfield Productions

Distributors

• British Lion Film Corporation (1956) (UK) (theatrical)

Runtime:

71 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Beaconsfield Productions

Routine B Britflick

I recall seeing this on the BBC one Saturday morning and have never seen it since. The presence of Hartnell as a water bailiff was enough to spark by interest but he has few scenes. The bulk of the narrative falls on wily poacher Donald Houston as he is enlisted by enemy agents Anton Diffring and Alan Cuthbertson (not to mention Delphi Lawrence) to smuggle them across to Europe before they're arrested for murder - they shoot a security guard in the opening scene as they steal secrets from an office. A pleasant if unremarkable time-waster with a surprisingly brutal fight at the climax between Houston and the baddies - he gets the girl at the end. Its astonishing that such an obvious B quota quickie should attract such a decent cast but its a pity we don't have the film industry to churn out such films nowadays.