the end of the road (1954)

"I didn't ask for anything."
After 50 years working in a factory, Mick-Mack (Finlay Currie) is forced into retirement. Unhappy, he searches for employment, but comes up against ageism, and his family are too wrapped up in their own lives to take much notice of his decent into depression.
Never really develops the drama enough, and such films were washed away shortly after by the kitchen sink drama's.

stock car (1955)

"She's not selling."
When her father dies whilst racing stock cars, Katie (Rona Anderson) inherits his garage. Despite its debts, she is persuaded by another driver, Larry (Paul Carpenter), that they should partner up and run it. But crime boss Turk (Paul Whitsun-Jones) is desperate to get his hands on the business.
A typical Butchers film, nightclub scenes, and an evil crime boss to defeat, enlivened by the debut performance of Sabrina (Norma Sykes).

secrets of a door-to-door salesman (1973)

aka Naughty Wives.
"Let him be young. Let him be heterosexual. Let him be Jewish!"
Lobster fisherman David Clyde (Brendan Price) ups sticks to London and lands in at a boarding house full of young women, who take a shine to him, and decide to find him a job. The first, as a porn actor, doesn't work out, so he opts for door-to-door salesman, but all the while he pines for a Ukrainian Au-pair (Jean Harrison), he had previously helped on his way down to London.
Whilst this is the usual lame British 70's sex comedy, it displays something above most in this genre. The nudity is supplied by the likes of Felicity Devonshire, Jean Harrington, Sue Longhurst, and Victoria Burgoyne. Whilst Chic Murray brushes down his policeman's uniform for another cameo appearance. Interestingly this was set to be Jonathan Demme's directorial debut, but he fled back to LA and Roger Corman, when he fell out with the producers, and only filmed the opening scenes.

the world ten times over (1963)

aka Pussycat Alley.
"Where do you want to go?"
Billa (Sylvia Syms) and Ginnie (June Richie) are nightclub hostesses, in reality little more than prostitutes, working in the bright lights of London's West End. Billa dispairs of her life and how she cannot connect with her father (William Hartnell). Meanwhile the bubbly Ginnie is having an affair with a married businessman (Edward Judd). He wants to take the relationship further, but she has reservations about moving in his circles.
The wonderful cinematography serves to counterbalance this downbeat tale of the loveless lives these women find themselves in, and the best parts are inevitably the scenes that make use of the real life streets of Soho, soundtracked by Edwin Astley.

marilyn (1954)

aka Roadhouse Girl.
"I wish you were dead."
A garage owner's wife, Marilyn (Sandra Dorne) is a wilful young thing. She's kept on a tight leash by her husband, but this doesn't stop her taking up with new employee Tom (Maxwell Reed). The inevitable discovery is followed by the inevitable struggle where the husband dies. With the husband out of the way, Marilyn sets about re-inventing her life, and takes up with Nicky (Ferdy Mayne), and jealously rears its head again.
Underplayed little pot boiler, that never sparks to life due to Marilyn coming across as spoilt brat rather than the siren she's supposed to be.

the black rider (1954)

"What do you think about George's story?"
In a small seaside village they have a myth about a black knight who haunts a local castle. Then the black rider starts to appear again and cub reporter Jerry (Jimmy Hanley) decides there may be something in it...
Boys own adventure, that is partially played for laughs, which adds a breeziness to procedings.
British, Wolf Rilla,

village of the damned (1960)

"People, especially children, aren't measured by their IQ. What's important about them is whether they're good or
bad, and these children are bad."
The inhabitants of a small English village suddenly fall unconcious for a few hours. Then wake, apparently none the worse for their experience. But then all the women fall pregnant and unnaturally quickly give birth to blond-haired children. The children as well as looking alike, all seem to share a telekinetic link. Moreover they rapidly start to develop anti-social tendencies and frighten the authorities. What are they to do with children that seem to be able to read people's thoughts and can make them do their will?
A fine thriller starring George Sanders and Barbara Shelley, that builds tension slowly and inexerably.

the scamp (1957)

AKA Strange Affection.
"I don't think you are fit to be his father."
Stephen Leigh (Richard Attenborough) and his wife Barbara (Dorothy Alison) are desperate for kids, but are unable to conceive. Then Tom (Colin Petersen), a motherless boy, who is physically abused by his dad (Terence Morgan) enters their life and Stephen comes to an agreement with Tom's father to take in the boy. But can Tom come to terms with a normal family life, or is his disruptive behaviour drive the family unit apart?
Family drama, where the liberal approach, rather than beating the living daylights out of a child is seen to be the way forward. Interesting drama, that holds your attention, and root for Attenborough's character as he battles to redeem the child.

piccadilly third stop (1960)

"It's the challenge that fires me."
Dominic (Terence Morgan), a Playboy and wannabe criminal mastermind, seduces Fina (Yoko Tani) and persuades her to help him rob her father's embassy. To pull of his plan he recruits a gang of old lags to open the embassy's safe, but inevitably things start to go wrong and the plan begins to unravel.
A fine cast including Dennis Price, Mai Zetterling, and William Hartnell, pack out this journey through the playboy world of London's wealthy Mayfair. A standard thriller like many similar such fare made around this period.