An Exercise In Nonsense

Am I Missing Something?

Absolutely Fantastic

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Craig Owen (Paul Maxwell) is doing a two year prison sentence for manslaughter but, unknown to the police, he was also a member of a gang that pulled off a three-hundred grand post office raid. Determined to get his share of the dough, Owen breaks out of prison and heads to a wrestling arena owned by Felix Gray (Bruce Seton) who was the mastermind behind the operation. His attempt to have Owen killed backfires and he kidnaps his daughter, Linda (Felicity Young), who has the keys to two safe deposit boxes that contain the money that Gray said were his savings that would go to her on the event of his death.This is one of those British second features that are unremarkable as a whole but have odd piercing moments that suddenly lift what is a mediocre film above the average. This offering from poverty row studio Butcher's is such a film: a tedious, confined crime drama which is all chat and precious little conventional action. This is largely due to the fact that it was made on a shoestring in a matter of days and there was not enough time or money to go for anything extravagant or exciting. However, there is a genuine emotional element here; the relationship between Felix Gray and his daughter Linda. We learn that Gray adopted her following her parents death in an air raid during the war. Gray, despite being a ruthless crook, worships her and she vice versa. But when she learns her about her adopted father's secret, she disowns him and following Owen's recapture by the police, his business goes broke as a result and unlike the usual obligatory cop out endings one normally associates with these sort of films, the climax here is a dramatic one and the viewers are left with a lump in their throats. Directed by Francis Searle, a prolific director of quota quickies who only made one 'A' feature in his entire career; a romantic comedy called Girl In A Million (1945).

One of many cheap thrillers knocked out by Butcher's Films during the early 1960s, and it's no surprise to find that the ubiquitous Francis Searle directed this one. FREEDOM TO DIE is a surprisingly professional little crime thriller that utilises a handful of small sets to tell an intriguing tale of crime and retribution.The horribly slimy Paul Maxwell plays a con who gets released from prison and comes looking for a stash of stolen loot. An assortment of small-time crooks and cops stand in his way, while Felicity Young gives the film's best performance as the young woman he tangles with. T. P. McKenna (STRAW DOGS) also shows up here, looking very young, while poor Kay Callard is forced to swan around in a negligee for 90% of her screen time.Anyhow, FREEDOM TO DIE is a brisk little thing with some good suspense sequences and a left-field ending which is bizarre in its abruptness. And for a film facing the double whammy of Butcher's and Searle, it's a lot better than it has any right to be, too.

Paul Maxwell escapes from prison and makes his way back to the establishment of gang boss Felix.He wants his slice of the £50000 from the robbery that he was sent down for.Felix tries all he knows to prevent it,and in fact he has told his hit men to dispose of Maxwell.Maxwell stays in Felix's flat where he meets and falls for Felix's adopted daughter.In revenge Maxwell tells the poor girl all about the shady past of Felix.In the end Maxwell is caught and sent back to prison.unfortunately on coming out of prison he is gunned down.All fairly routine stuff with Bruce Seaton in the unfamiliar role for him on the other side of the law.

Francis Searle made a bunch of good features in the late fifties and early sixties. And this one makes no exception. I would say it's more a drama than a gangster movie. I won't spoil it, but the characters are rather interesting, deeply described, and not the lead. In resume, a fairly good British B noir, starring the always efficient Paul Maxwell - we saw in many films of this kind. A tragic story, and sometimes poignant. It is still a classic topic, no real surprise in it, and a predictable ending. But it's worthwhile. And so rare.I almost forgot: this movie was produced by Butcher's Films. British B productions of this era. With the Danziger's, of course...