Breakout (1959 film)

Breakout is a 1959 British crime drama film directed by Peter Graham Scott and starring Lee Patterson, Hazel Court and Terence Alexander.^[2] It was written by Peter Barnes based on the 1959 novel Breakout by Frederick Oughton.

Breakout
Directed by	Peter Graham Scott
Written by	Peter Barnes
Based on	the book Breakout by Frederick Oughton[1]
Produced by	Leslie Parkyn Julian Wintle
Starring	Lee Patterson Hazel Court Terence Alexander Dermot Kelly
Cinematography	Eric Cross
Edited by	Eric Boyd-Perkins
Production company	Independent Artists
Distributed by	Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors (UK)
Release date	March 1959 (1959-03) (UK)
Running time	62 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Plot

Arkwright is a fraudster serving a seven-year prison sentence. He gets word to his contact Chandler that he wants out. Chandler and his partner Farrow contract George Munro to organise the job of springing Arkwright. Munro hatches a plan involving a rigged delivery van.

Cast

• Lee Patterson as George Munro
• Hazel Court as Rita Arkwright
• Terence Alexander as Steve Farrow
• William Lucas as Chandler
• John Paul as Arkwright
• Billie Whitelaw as Rose Munro
• Dermot Kelly as O'Quinn
• Estelle Brody as Maureen O'Quinn
• Rupert Davies as Morgan
• Lloyd Lamble as Inspector
• Neil McCarthy as getaway driver (uncredited)
• George Woodbridge as landlord (uncredited)

Production

The film was shot at Beaconsfield Studios. Location shooting took place in the West End area of Aldershot in Hampshire. The gates of the East Cavalry Barracks on Barrack Road stood in for the prison gates used in the breakout. Other scenes were filmed in Uxbridge.

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "This moderately tense crime thriller distracts attention from the improbability of the escape preparations by skilful handing of background and detail. Although there is an intermittently successful attempt to build up Monro as a convincing character, the other figures all come from stock."^[3]

Picturegoer wrote: "For the sake of British second features, let's hope Lee Patterson never gets into the big-star bracket. Once again, he brings a firm, dramatic assurance to the character of an escape expert engaged to plan the break-out from prison of a confidence trickster. Cleverly contrived and plausibly executed, it's a more-than-usually exciting film. The brisk acting of Patterson, William Lucas, Terence Alexander and Hazel Court skilfully disguises any weakness in the characterization."^[4]

Picture Show called the film an: "ingenious thriller", adding "the story calls for action, pace and a good climax and the film has all three. Interesting entertainment."^[5]

In British Sound Films David Quinlan called the film a "quite exciting vest-pocket thriller with edgy performances."^[6]