Two Way Stretch (1960)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Robert Day

Writers:

Vivian Cox (writer)
Alan Hackney (additional dialogue)
(more)

Release Date:

20 December 1960 (West Germany)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Plot:

Peter Sellers has planned the perfect robbery while in prison. He intends to break out of prison, steal a fortune in diamonds...

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Robbery | Prison Break | Prison Farm | Military Officer

Cast

Peter Sellers	...	Dodger Lane
Wilfrid Hyde-White	...	Soapy Stevens
David Lodge	...	Jelly Knight
Bernard Cribbins	...	Lennie Price
Maurice Denham	...	The Governor
Lionel Jeffries	...	Chief P.O.Sidney Crout
Irene Handl	...	Mrs. Price
Liz Fraser	...	Ethel
Beryl Reid	...	Miss Pringle
Noel Hood	...	Miss Prescott
Myrette Morven	...	Miss Meakin
George Woodbridge	...	Chief P.O. Jenkins
Edwin Brown	...	Warder Charlie
Cyril Chamberlain	...	George - Gate Warder
Wallas Eaton	...	Gate Warder (Night)
Andrew Downie	...	Prison Garden Warder
William Abney	...	Visiting Room Warder
Thorley Walters	...	Colonel Parkright
Walter Hudd	...	Reverend Patterson
Mario Fabrizi	...	Jones
Warren Mitchell	...	Tailor
John Glyn-Jones	...	Lawyer
Arthur Mullard	...	Fred
Vivienne Martin	...	Fred's Wife
Joe Gibbons	...	Dustman
Ian Wilson	...	Harry - the Milkman
Edward Dentith	...	Detective
John Harvey	...	Governor Rockhampton Prison
Johnny Vyvyan	...	Shorthouse - Little Prisoner
Harry Littlewood	...	Postman
Homi Bode	...	Court Chamberlain
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert James	...	Police Supertinendent
Abe Barker	...	Sam - Oldest Inhabitant (uncredited)
Robert Day	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Jack Dearlove	...	Train Station Guard (uncredited)
Olga Dickie	...	Woman in Pub (uncredited)
Tony Doonan	...	Prisoner in Garden (uncredited)
Eynon Evans	...	Solicitor (uncredited)
Larry Taylor	...	Rockingham Quarry Prison Warder (uncredited)
Hedger Wallace	...	Detective (uncredited)
John Wood	...	Army Captain (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Day

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Vivian Cox		writer
Alan Hackney		additional dialogue
Len Heath		writer
John Warren		writer

Produced by
E.M. Smedley-Aston	....	producer (as M. Smedley Aston)

Original Music by
Ken Jones

Cinematography by
Geoffrey Faithfull

Film Editing by
Bert Rule

Casting by
Paul Sheridan		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
John Box

Makeup Department
Jimmy Evans	....	makeup artist
Joyce James	....	hairdresser

Production Management
Harold Buck	....	production supervisor
Jacques de Lane Lea	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Kip Gowans	....	assistant director
John Danischewsky	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Roy Rossotti	....	assistant art director
Roger Cain	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Wallis Smith	....	chief draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Maurice Askew	....	sound recordist
Paddy Cunningham	....	sound recordist
Teddy Mason	....	dubbing editor
Charles Wheeler	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Frank Drake	....	camera operator
John Deaton	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Norman Hargood	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Dennis C. Lewiston	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
John Irwin	....	wardrobe assistant (uncredited)
Bob Rayner	....	wardrobe master (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Alan Bell	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Ken Jones	....	conductor

Other crew
Lee Turner	....	continuity
Arthur Cleaver	....	production accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Vale Film Productions
• Shepperton Productions
• Tudor Productions

Distributors

• British Lion Film Corporation (1960) (UK) (theatrical)
• Showcorporation (1961) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Momentum Pictures (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• Optimum Releasing (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Sogemedia (2008) (Spain) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1989) (UK) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Two-Way Stretch (UK) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

78 min | 87 min (TCM Print)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:U | Australia:G | Finland:S

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Vale Film Productions

Trivia:

Robert James is dubbed

Movie Connections:

Remake of Convict 99 (1938)

"Basket weaving? - I'll get you baskets weaving...!"

Despite "Two way stretch" usually being described as a "Peter Sellers film" it is an ensemble piece featuring some of the best British character actors of the 1950s and 60s.Maurice Denham,George Woodbridge,Thorley Walters,Wilfred Hyde-White and the wonderful Lionel Jefferies decorate this movie.Mr Jefferies in particular was never better than as CPO Crout the slightly mad successor to the kind-hearted veteran George Woodbridge. "Basket weaving?.....I'll get you baskets weaving !" he rants on being told that the cons are being taught that country craft. The usual lovable Cockneys and middle-class dunderheads make up the rest of the cast. It is the sort of film knocked out in a few weeks for silly money that the British Film Industry once excelled at.It wasn't "Great Art" but it was great fun.Now you need millions from the Lottery to make something a first-year Film Studies person would leave on the cutting-room floor. "Two way stretch " had no sex,no violence and no bad language,three of the requisites for comedy writers these days.It still makes a lot of people laugh.Not many modern comedies do.Is this a "Duh" moment?